


Holy Smoak

by MegEl



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-20
Updated: 2015-04-24
Packaged: 2018-03-24 22:50:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 27,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3787297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MegEl/pseuds/MegEl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>While investigating a strip club with ties to the mob, Felicity goes undercover as a waitress. But when one of the dancers can't make it into work due to a sick kid, Felicity's forced to go onstage in her place. Originally started as a one-shot, but now has been continued to even more Olicity adventures. :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Windgate Club

"Come on out, Felicity," Oliver called through the bathroom door. "You're supposed to be at the club in half an hour."

"I look ridiculous!" she insisted.

"I'm sure that's not true," he tried to reassure her.

"Hah!" was her skeptical reply.

"Felicity," Diggle tried, "we need you for this mission. You're the only one who can get close enough to get us the intel we need."

There was silence as she seemed to ponder that.

"Alright..." she finally agreed, before quickly warning, "But the first one to laugh gets it."

Reluctantly, she stepped out into Team Arrow headquarters, and was rewarded, not with laughs or even smirks, but with wide eyes and open mouths as they took in her attire. She wore a black pleather corset that pushed her breasts up dramatically, a matching mini-skirt that left little to the imagination, black pleather gloves that went just past her elbows, and high-heeled boots that went to her knees. She also wore a black leather choker, and her blond hair was up in a high ponytail. Her usual thick-rimmed glasses were gone for the night in favor of contacts and black eyeliner.

"Wow," was all Oliver could say. He felt like someone had knocked the wind out of him.

"Yeah," Diggle agreed, though not quite as breathless.

Clearing his throat, Oliver added, "You look..."

As he searched for a word appropriate enough, she went ahead and finished, "Ridiculous, right?"

"Actually, I was going to say...good. You look good."

"Really? You don't think it's too... revealing?"

Rather than answer, he looked at his watch and exclaimed, "Wow, will you look at the time! We've got to get going, or you'll be late for your first day!"

The 'first day' he referred to was that of her 'new job' as a waitress at the Windgate Club, a private gentleman's club they were investigating due to possible ties to the mob. While Oliver himself had never been there, he did know a senator who was gracious enough to lend him his membership card, especially in exchange for his silence regarding the senator's mistress, who was a dancer there.

As they went to leave, Oliver stopped and, with a mischievous glint in his eye, gestured for Felicity to go first.

"After you, Mistress Felicity," he teased. Beside him, Diggle tried to suppress a chuckle.

She narrowed her eyes, and replied, "You are so lucky this outfit doesn't come with a whip."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

After parking around the block from the club, Oliver and Diggle gave Felicity an earpiece, with the assurance that they'd be there for her should she need backup. They let her go in first, then waited a couple of minutes before following. Flashing the senator's membership card, Oliver and Diggle posed as patrons, both sporting suits since the dress code was a bit more formal than your average strip club.

As Diggle went to sit at the bar to see what he could find out, Oliver took a seat at one of the small round tables that surrounded the main stage. As he did so, he glanced around the room, noticing that all the waitresses wore provocative costumes. One passed him dressed as a sexy nurse, while another passed in the other direction dressed as a Playboy bunny, winking flirtatiously at Oliver as she did so. By the time he turned his head to face forward, he was surprised and even a little bit startled to see Felicity standing there all of a sudden.

"Hey there, cutie," she said, trying to act flirty. "What can I get you?"

He asked what she was able to find out so far, and she replied that she hadn't been able to find out anything yet. At least, anything useful. As they talked, they realized that a man, presumably the club owner, was watching them suspiciously, so Felicity quickly took Oliver's drink order and headed for the bar.

As she passed on the drink order to the bartender and waited on him to fill it, she and Diggle discreetly shared a look out of the corners of their eyes. Then, just as the bartender finished pouring Oliver's drink and placed it on a tray, the club owner approached Felicity.

"Hey. You. New girl," he greeted her gruffly.

She worried for a moment that he had put two and two together after seeing her and Oliver talking, but then relaxed a bit when the next words out of his mouth were, "You dance?"

She was a bit confused as to what relevance that had, but nonetheless replied, "Yes. Sometimes."

"Felicity, no!" Oliver hissed in her ear. "He means _exotic_ dancing. He's asking if you know how to strip!"

"Good," the owner told her before she could take back what she'd said. He explained, "One of our dancers just called to say she has a sick kid and can't get a babysitter. So, you're on in ten minutes."

"Wait! What?!" she exclaimed, but the owner was already walking away.

"You can use her costume," he added over his shoulder.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

Eight minutes later, she had changed into the absent dancer's costume, a sexy sailor number, and had changed into a red version of the high-heeled boots she had just been wearing. Her hair had been taken out of the ponytail and instead, put up in a messy bun, and she had just finished putting on some red lipstick.

"How do I get myself into these things?" she asked miserably as she sat at a dressing table, one of many that were situated backstage.

"It's a gift," Diggle replied via her earpiece.

"More like a curse," she shot back.

"Felicity, it'll be fine," Oliver assured her smoothly, also via the earpiece. "Just...pretend you're at home dancing by yourself and just let go."

"You have clearly never seen me dance," she scoffed.

"But looks like we're about to," Diggle pointed out, after some burly guy stopped by to inform her that she was on in two minutes.

She quickly put on a cap that came with the costume and grabbed some aviator sunglasses, then went to wait in the wings. Finding that she could discreetly watch the current dancer onstage, a cowgirl named Dixie who was swaying wildly to "All Jacked Up" by Gretchen Wilson, Felicity tried to pick up some moves. But before she knew it, Dixie was returning backstage, and it was her turn.

"Guys, I don't think I can do this," she told her teammates nervously.

"It's okay. Relax," was Diggle's big advice. "Try to channel your inner Demi Moore."

"Demi Moore, right, got it. Wait, I never saw that movie!"

Regardless, she quickly put on the sunglasses and forced herself to step out on stage, just as an announcer finished introducing her as "all-American girl" Amber Waves.

_Well, there are worse stripper names_ , she thought to herself.

As "Don't Cha" by Pussycat Dolls started playing, Felicity somewhat awkwardly began stripping, starting with the top part of her costume, underneath which was a red-white-and-blue sequined bikini top. She could almost swear she heard one of the guys, either Oliver or Diggle, gulp audibly, but didn't have time to worry about it. Instead, she took off the bottom part of the outfit, a navy-blue mini-skirt, revealing sequined hot pants that also bore a patriotic theme.

_Did it suddenly get warm in here?_ Oliver thought, adjusting his tie.

Then, losing the hat and sunglasses, she took her hair down and shook it loose, inadvertently locking eyes with Oliver as she did so. Inadvertent or not, though, she never took her eyes off of him, nor he her, as something seemed to take hold of her and her inhibitions were suddenly stripped away. For him.

As she moved seductively in time with the music, it seemed as though she danced just for him. That thought even occurred to him, but it barely registered as the blood rushed away from his brain to start to pool elsewhere. The way she moved, the way the top conformed to her breasts, the way the shorts hugged her hips, the way she bit those ruby red lips as she danced... He was entranced.

Finally, the song ended, and the spell was broken. She looked around as patrons applauded, suddenly self-conscious again. As she headed backstage, Oliver took a deep breath to get himself in check. He only vaguely heard Diggle mutter appreciatively, "God bless America."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

"I don't believe I've ever seen you here before, Mr. Queen," the owner greeted the man in question. He wasn't angry, though; in fact, he was downright sycophantic.

"Actually, I'm a guest of Senator Jennings's," he replied. Indicating Diggle at the bar, he added, "As is my bodyguard, of course."

"Of course. And will Senator Jennings be joining you this evening?"

"No, it's just me. Though, I got to say, I'm certainly enjoying the entertainment. Any chance I can get a minute alone with that Miss America chick that was just onstage?"

Diggle smiled at that description. He knew Oliver was just playing up his playboy reputation, but also knew that Felicity could still hear every word they said. And with that in mind, he couldn't wait to see how Felicity was going to make Oliver pay for that comment. Hence, the smile.

"Certainly, Mr. Queen." The owner got the attention of the sexy nurse, and instructed her to take Mr. Queen into one of the back rooms.

"Right this way, Mr. Queen," she said, only too happy to oblige.

He followed her to the back, which contained several private rooms where patrons could enjoy a lap dance from the dancer of their choice. In place of a door, each of these rooms had a red velvet curtain for privacy, and above each curtain was a number. The nurse indicated one velvet door in particular, and smiled flirtatiously as she told him, "Here you are, Mr. Queen."

Before she left him to wait by himself, she reminded him that he wasn't allowed to touch — though he doubted that that rule was ever enforced much, if at all — and informed him that there were cameras in each room.

Inside the room itself, he found wall-to-wall leather benches, which could easily sit five or six guys (not there ever were that many guys in one room at any one time). Glancing up, he did indeed see a security camera in one corner of the room.

_Probably used more for voyeurism and/or blackmail than security_ , he thought cynically.

He took a seat, though, and almost as soon as he did, Felicity entered, still in the stars-and-stripes. Judging by the forced smile on her lips and the angry glint in her eye, she had heard every word he'd said to the owner.

"Fe — " He stopped himself from calling her by name, remembering the camera.

Without a word, she closed the distance between them, and immediately straddled him, much to his surprise. Leaning in close, she assured him that she'd already checked and the camera didn't transmit audio, so they could talk freely.

"That's good to know," he replied, very much aware of how close her breasts were to his own chest. He fought the urge to look down.

In the interest of keeping her cover, she gyrated on his pelvis, causing Oliver's eyes to go wide and his jaw to set as his blood once more rushed south of the border. She then slid down his torso to the floor, and his eyes closed of their own volition. After slowly slithering her way back up his body, conscious of every one of his muscles tensing underneath her, she informed him, "That's for referring to me as a 'chick'."

"Felicity," he growled.

She looked at him, surprised. His tone was partly angry, but it was also tinged with...arousal. Then again, she shouldn't have been so surprised, considering what was poking her through her sequined shorts. She gulped visibly, and his demeanor softened as he mistook her reaction for fear.

"So, what'd you find out?" he asked, getting them back on track.

Rather than answer, she got up, turned around, and then situated herself back in his lap. As she leaned back against his shoulder, gyrating some more on his pelvis, she finally filled him and Diggle in on the information she'd managed to uncover backstage.

"Looks like that stripper with the sick kid was a blessing in disguise," she remarked once she'd finished sharing. "I mean, obviously, not for her and her kid. But it was lucky for us because it got me backstage. Though, I'm not too thrilled about having to take my clothes off for you."

Realizing what she'd just said, she quickly amended, "I mean, not that any woman wouldn't want to take their clothes off for you. I just mean, I wasn't stripping _just_ for you. I mean..."

"Felicity," Oliver said, stopping her babbling before she really got going.

"Thank you."

"Uh, guys," Diggle interjected, "assuming Lady Luck was with us earlier, she's definitely not now."

"What makes you say that?" Felicity asked.

"Because a bunch of cops just arrived to raid this place, led by none other than Detective Lance."

Though he'd been demoted recently, Quentin Lance would always be 'Detective Lance' to Team Arrow.

The identical looks Oliver and Felicity exchanged said it all, but they still felt the need to voice their concern.

"Oh..." Felicity began.

"...shit!" Oliver concluded.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	2. Oliver's Dream

Later that night, Oliver, clad only in dark green plaid pajama pants, climbed into bed, only too eager to put the events of that night behind him.

It was only after much convincing that Detective Lance had let him and his friends go. Felicity had given the former detective a partial truth: she and the Arrow were investigating the club because of possible ties to the mob. However, to explain Oliver and Diggle's presence there, she'd had to fudge the truth a bit. Okay, a lot. She'd claimed that her boss had coincidentally come to the club to unwind, having heard about it from one of his higher-up friends, and had obviously brought along his bodyguard for protection. While Detective Lance wasn't happy that the Arrow had sent Felicity undercover like that, potentially putting her in harm's way, he'd accepted her story and reluctantly let the trio go.

Now, as sleep quickly claimed Oliver, his dreams were plagued with images of Felicity, with memories from earlier that night. More specifically, memories of her dancing onstage just for him, of her writhing against him once they were finally alone. All the while she'd been in his lap, he'd wanted nothing more than to touch her, to desperately make her his. In fact, his mind insisted on taking the memories one step further.

_In his dream, he did touch her. He wrapped his arms around her, and crashed his lips upon hers in a kiss that was hungry and urgent yet gentle and loving at the same time._

_At some point during the kiss, their clothes had vanished, allowing his hands to better move over her in a selfish lover's caress. When he went to lay her down and cover her body with his, she landed, not on the cold leather bench of the club's sleazy back room, but on his soft, warm bed, which he knew to be clean despite the sheets being mussed._

_Using his hands and mouth, he explored every inch of her, wanting to savor the way his senses were filled with only her. The way her scent filled his nostrils, the way her skin felt beneath his touch, the way she tasted on his tongue, the way she looked tilting her head back in ecstasy, and even the way she whispered his name as she reached her peak time and again._

_Finally, when she was ready, he buried himself to the hilt, her center gladly receiving him. At first, he moved slowly and tenderly, wanting the moment to last forever, but eventually picked up the pace at her urging. Before long, she had achieved one final orgasm, her inner walls clenching him insistently, and he knew he wasn't far behind._

However, before he would've flooded her with his seed, he awoke with a start, immediately jolting upright in bed, breathing hard and covered in sweat. He briefly wondered why he was having such an erotic (his mind kept insisting on using the word 'wonderful') dream about someone he considered only a friend and nothing more, before he realized that the dream had had a very physical, very noticeable impact on him. So, getting up, he headed for the bathroom to take care of it.

For some reason, images of Felicity persisted. Not just the memories from the club, but flashes of his very vivid dream as well. After a frustrated moment of trying to push the images back and think of anyone else but her, he finally figured, _Screw it_ , and just let the images push themselves to the forefront.

As he closed his eyes and thought of Felicity, everything came rushing back all at once and his senses were once again in overdrive. He could smell and taste her again, could see the way she writhed beneath him in ecstasy, could hear his name tumbling from her lips time and again as he brought her to the brink. He even remembered so vividly the sensation of filling her so completely that it was hard to tell where she ended and he began.

"Oh... Felicity..." he moaned, finally shuddering his release.

Afterwards, he was surprised at himself for having called out his friend's name in the heat of the moment, but the fact of the matter was, he had and nothing could be done about it. Thankfully, though, no one had heard, and so, with a push of the handle, he sent potential future generations swirling away and went back to bed. Mercifully, the rest of the night was spent in a dreamless sleep.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. Felicity's Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the interest of visualization, I imagine Felicity's dress looking something like [this](http://image.dhgate.com/albu_346257794_00-1.0x0/spring-green-cocktail-dresses-sexy-mini-2013.jpg).

Unbeknownst to Oliver, he wasn't the only one affected by Felicity's lap dance. At the same time that he had been dreaming of her, she in turn had been dreaming of him...

_She found herself once again in the back room of the Windgate, straddling Oliver. As the dream played itself out, so too did her lap dance. She again gyrated on him...slid down his body...slowly slithered her way back up. Only this time, her annoyance at his remark was gone, instead replaced with a small sense of pride at being the cause of his apparent arousal. And when he growled her name, it was with desire and even...love._

_"I want you, Felicity. I need you. Now." His voice was barely above a whisper._

_Resting a hand on her lower back, he buried the other one in her hair as he kissed her in a way that could only be described as the kiss to end all kisses. Felicity could even swear she heard fireworks going off in the distance as she wrapped her arms around him, gladly surrendering to him._

_When finally he pulled away, he looked at her longingly for a moment, then, in one fluid motion, grabbed her by the ass, stood, and wrapped her legs around his waist, his eyes never leaving hers all the while._

_Suddenly, the scene shifted until they were in the ArrowCave, though Felicity hardly noticed. When Oliver went to set her down, it was on top of her desk, and that's when she realized that she was now in a sparkly green cocktail dress, rather than the bikini top and hot pants she'd worn at the club (and that she had gone home in without thinking!). And though she didn't have a mirror in front of her, she instinctively knew that her makeup now matched the dress._

_"You are so beautiful," he told her, reverently yet with a smoldering passion. Brushing a lock of hair our of her face, he added, "Not to mention, smart, and funny, and caring. I've been wasting my time pining after Laurel. Since I've been back from the island, there's only been you. I see that now."_

_She smiled, blushing a little, as she replied, "You don't know how long I've waited to hear you say that."_

_He then returned his lips to hers, and even though this kiss couldn't hold a candle to the previous one, it was still pretty steamy, in Felicity's humble opinion. As they kissed, his hands worked on tugging her dress down, and she gladly helped him, until she could feel the cloth of his shirt against her bare breasts. While he cupped one such exposed breast, teasing the nipple with his fingers as he did so, his lips trailed down to her neck and shoulders, kissing and sucking and nipping ever-so-slightly as they went along._

_While she enjoyed the delicious things he was doing with his mouth, his hands dropped to her thighs, and steadily began inching the hem of her dress higher and higher. When he'd gotten her dress bunched up at her hips, his lips moved to lavish attention on her breasts, while one hand slipped into her panties and found her already wet for him. Hooking a couple of fingers inside her, he began rubbing her at a slow, tortuous pace, enjoying the moans she let loose as she eventually shattered into a million tiny pieces around his hand._

_After coming down from her high, there was a lusty glint to her eyes as she breathlessly announced, "My turn."_

_Then, with a self-assurance she surely wouldn't have possessed in her waking hours, she pushed Oliver into her desk chair, sending it rolling back a little, and straddled him. As she took her time unbuttoning his shirt, he never took his eyes off of her face, his expression one of love and desire. For her, and only her._

_Gently raking her nails down his chiseled torso, she earned a slight growl of pleasure from him, before finally unbuckling his pants and liberating his straining member. She took a moment to stroke his impressive length, making him close his eyes and tilt his head back in ecstasy while soft moans escaped his throat. All the while, she silently admired how 'gifted' he was, surprisingly managing to keep herself from babbling about it._

_Shifting her hands to his shoulders for balance, she then carefully impaled herself on him, and gasped at the sensation of taking him all in. As she gave herself a moment to adjust, Oliver leaned forward and swirled his tongue around her nipples, before kissing a trail back up to her mouth. He recaptured her lips hungrily, and though they began moving together slowly and deliberately, wanting to savor every moment of it, their lovemaking was on fire._

_Finally, as they neared their shared climax, Oliver reached between their bodies, and began stroking her once more, pushing her over the edge. She shuddered violently in release as she called out his name again and again, and with one more thrust, he was joining her over the cliff, growling her name in pleasure several times as he did so. Afterwards, they collapsed together in a breathless heap, her damp forehead resting against his._

Meanwhile, back in the real world, Felicity snuggled deeper into her pillow, a contented smile curving her lips.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. Felicity's High School Reunion

By the next night, Oliver still couldn't seem to shake his dream of Felicity.

As he'd been getting ready for work that morning, he'd opted for a cold shower, but he'd been in there a while before it finally had had any effect. Afterwards, he'd gotten dressed in a daze, not even noticing he'd put on two completely different socks or that his tie had been slightly askew. Then, once he'd gotten to work, he'd had to force himself just to look Felicity in the eye, and as the day wore on, he'd caught himself staring at her more than once, the sun shining at just the perfect angle to make her look like a goddess.

And if that wasn't bad enough, he'd had trouble concentrating on his work because he'd kept having daydreams about her, daydreams that had involved him throwing caution to the wind and making love to her on his desk, or her desk, or the conference table, or...

So, now here he was, climbing the salmon ladder in the ArrowCave, trying to take his mind off his all-consuming thoughts of Felicity. After all, there are only so many cold showers a person can take in one day.

He was so focused on his workout, he barely noticed Diggle arrive, and didn't know how long it was before Felicity arrived as well.

That is, until he overheard Diggle tell Felicity, "He's been doing that for the better part of half an hour."

"Hmm, I love it when he climbs that thing," she opined, a touch of desire bleeding through. She even bit her lip for a moment.

_Not helping, Felicity!_ he thought with a grimace, letting out a barely-audible growl.

Noticing this, Felicity thought in alarm, _Oh, no! He didn't hear that, did he? As if the past twenty-four hours haven't been embarrassing enough!_

She quickly turned and headed for her desk, but that did nothing to help her embarrassment, as seeing the desk and chair only brought back memories of her dream from the night before, making her turn as red as Roy Harper's flechette as she took a seat.

"What have you got for me, Felicity?" Oliver grunted out.

"Oh, that is so not helping my predicament," she muttered.

Diggle apparently heard, and he fixed her with a puzzled expression.

"Good news," she quickly replied, avoiding Diggle's gaze by focusing on her computers. "Detective Lance was able to get the owner of the Windgate to give up his mob connections using the information we gathered."

"Good," was his response as he grunted again with his efforts on the ladder.

"Now, for the bad news," she added, spinning around in her chair and biting her lip nervously.

Dropping down from the ladder, he furrowed his brows and asked, "What bad news?"

Reluctantly, Felicity informed them, "Detective Lance doesn't have enough evidence to charge them yet."

"What?!"

She hastily added, "But I have every confidence that he'll find it, and when he does — "

"When he does, it'll be too late because I'll have already found it," Oliver finished, going to grab his gear.

Just then, a sound issued from Felicity's phone, letting her know she had just received a text message.

"What was that? More bad news?" he asked, frowning as he stopped what he was doing.

"Only for me," she replied, checking her phone. "A reminder from one of my old classmates that my high school reunion is next week."

Without another word, he went back to gathering up his crime-fighting gear.

"I bet you were adorable in high school," Diggle opined with a smile.

"Not really. I was awkward, and clumsy, and even more of a geek than I am now."

"Felicity, you are not a geek," Diggle assured her. Then, taking on a teasing tone, he added, "You're a nerd. Get it right."

She narrowed her eyes at him, a slight smile crinkling the corners, then informed him, "It doesn't matter, because I'm not going."

"Why not?" he asked.

"Because there's nobody there I'd want to see."

"But don't you want to show everybody up, especially the haters?"

"It's not like I can tell them about what we do here. As far as anyone else is concerned, I'm just a secretary." To Oliver, she said, "An overqualified one, I might add."

He stopped just long enough to shoot an unamused glare her way, giving her a bit of a giggle, before returning to what he was doing.

Then, returning her attention to Diggle, she added, "Besides, it's not like I have a date or anything. And it'd be pretty pathetic to show up without one."

Casting a glance over at Oliver, Diggle told her with a knowing smirk, "I think I know the perfect guy."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

ABOUT A WEEK LATER...

"You about ready, Felicity?" Oliver asked through the bathroom door as he adjusted his tie.

"Just about," he heard her reply. Not even a minute later, she stepped out, declaring, "There. Now I'm ready. Well, about as ready as I'm ever going to be."

She was wearing a hunter-green cocktail dress that crossed over one shoulder and had just enough gemstones to capture the eye. She had decided to let her hair flow free down her back, and while her makeup was minimal, she looked gorgeous.

"Wow, Felicity. You look...amazing."

"Thanks. So do you." She blushed a little at the compliment. He loved when she did that, as it only served to make her more adorable.

_In a platonic way, of course_ , his brain felt the need to add for some reason.

"Shall we?" He offered her his arm.

"We shall," she replied, gladly accepting it as he led her out of the ArrowCave to where Diggle was waiting to drive them to the reunion.

About half an hour later, give or take, they had pulled up to her old alma mater.

As he helped her out of the car and they headed inside, Felicity told him, "Thanks for being my date, Oliver. You didn't have to do that."

"Don't mention it," he replied. "Besides, if you're going to show up to your high school reunion, it might as well be with one of Starling City's most eligible bachelors."

"Hmm, and he's modest too," she said, being facetious.

"Yeah, I've always thought so," he joked.

They both got a good chuckle out of that.

They reached the gym and stepped inside, and it wouldn't have been an exaggeration to say that all eyes were suddenly on them. Everyone stopped what they were doing, and some even started whispering and murmuring amongst themselves in full view of the newcomers.

"On second thought, maybe this isn't such a good idea after all," she muttered, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Relax. I'm here for you, okay?"

She nodded. He then led her to a table near the door, as several pairs of eyes followed their movement.

"Name?" asked an older lady from behind the table, clearly unimpressed with either of them.

"Uh...Smelicity Foak," was what came out of her mouth. Realizing what she'd said, she shook her head, and quickly corrected, "Uh, I mean, uh, Felicity. Smoak."

"Plus one," Oliver added.

"Well, Felicity Smoak, or whatever your name is," the lady said, indicating some items on the table, "sign the sign-in sheet, then find the name-tag with your name on it and put it on. Make sure it's in plain view and not covered up by hair or what have you."

Felicity did as she was told. Then, as she and Oliver headed for an empty table, she whispered, "Suddenly, I feel like I never left. That was my P.E. teacher, Coach Moore."

"Charming woman," he opined dryly.

"Isn't she though?" she replied, matching his sarcasm.

Eyes continued to watch them as Felicity took a seat, but then when Oliver went to get them some punch, everyone started going back to what they were doing. At least, most everyone.

One of Felicity's old classmates, Rebecca Brookside, approached with a couple of friends.

"Felicia, isn't it?" Rebecca asked.

"Felicity, actually."

"Oh." Indicating the empty chairs, she added, "Mind if I sit?"

"Oh, uh, not at all. Go ahead." She tried to be polite, even though she vaguely recalled not liking this particular girl.

Rebecca sat right next to Felicity, while her friends remained standing.

"So, is that Oliver Queen you're here with?" Rebecca was smiling and leaning in intently.

"Yes. Yes, he is."

"You're so lucky," one of the friends interjected, envious as she glanced over at Oliver at the punch bowl.

Ignoring her friend's outburst, Rebecca continued, "Yeah, we'd heard you were working for him. So, lemme ask you something, woman to woman. What's he like?"

"Oh. Well, he's funny, and charming, and — "

"No, no, I meant, what's he like in bed?"

" _Excuse me_?!" Felicity's eyes went as wide as saucers.

"Well, I mean, you're fucking him, aren't you?"

"That's not— I mean, that's— I'm— " Felicity found herself at a loss for words, a rarity for her. She took a deep breath, and was just about to set the record straight, when a male voice chimed in.

"My relationship with Felicity," Oliver informed them coolly, having returned with drinks, "is no one's business but our own."

Then, setting down the drinks, he turned his attention to his date and warmly asked, "Felicity, care to dance?"

"Love to," she replied, eager to get away from Rebecca and her cohorts.

_Suddenly remembered why I don't like her_ , Felicity thought to herself. _She was always such a gossip queen._

As he took her hand in his and led her towards the dance floor, they heard Rebecca tell her friends, "See? I told you she was fucking him. He'll screw anything with tits."

At that, Felicity whirled on Rebecca, and angrily retorted, "Jealous much?!"

Oliver, however, wasn't bothered by what Rebecca had said about him. Without giving Felicity a chance to turn around, he grabbed her by the hips and guided her backward toward the middle of the dance floor. People gave them a wide berth, then watched with intrigue as Oliver pulled Felicity close, sending her crashing into his broad, muscular chest.

Felicity went wide-eyed, Rebecca instantly forgotten.

"Oliver, what — "

"Just follow my lead," he whispered, draping one of her arms on the back of his neck.

She obeyed, letting him lead her in what could only be described as the tango to end all tangos. They danced around in a circle of onlookers, and he kept her close, letting her loose only every so often to twirl her or dip her. But then, he'd pull her close again, almost possessively, and look upon her as a lover would. To outside observers, it was foreplay, one lover chasing another.

_He's just trying to sell the passion of the dance_ , she told herself.

As the song neared its end, he spun her so her back was to him, then ran his hand down her arm and torso, _Dirty Dancing_ -style. She gulped, just as he grabbed her hand and twirled her once more. He then pulled her close one final time, before grabbing her leg and dipping her, his eyes still locked on hers as this time, he bent with her.

Around them, her classmates erupted in cheers and applause, and yet they remained locked in embrace, sweaty and breathless. Her eyes never left Oliver's, though she could almost swear she saw a camera flash go off out of the corner of one eye. Finally, she cleared her throat, and he took that as his cue to right them both and let go of her leg.

Felicity finally forced her gaze to leave Oliver's, and that's when she noticed Rebecca and her cohorts watching them from across the dance floor, a smug smirk plastered to Rebecca's face.

_Uh-oh_ , she thought. _Why do I get the sinking feeling that that does not bode well?_

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

A couple of hours later, Oliver carried Felicity into her apartment. With his tie undone and hanging loosely about his neck, he could've easily been mistaken for a groom carrying his bride over the threshold.

"You didn't have to do that," she protested, her shoes in hand. "Really."

"It's my fault your feet are so sore," he argued, setting her down. "Sorry about that, by the way."

"Don't be. I had a good time...all things considered." He knew she meant their encounter with Rebecca, though she quickly put it out of her mind. "Where'd you learn to dance like that, anyway?"

"My mother insisted Thea and I learn some ballroom dances so we could better mingle at functions."

"Ah. Well, thanks again for being my date."

"Don't mention it."

For a moment, they just stood there, smiling at each other. Then, the moment turned awkward, and they dropped their gazes.

"I should...get going," he pointed out, albeit reluctantly.

"Yeah," she agreed, just as reluctant.

"Good night, Felicity."

"Good night, Oliver."

He lingered for a moment, feeling like there was something he was supposed to do, before turning and letting himself out. However, as soon as the door had closed behind him, Felicity noticed something on the floor, and bent to pick it up. Then, she quickly headed for the door, despite protests from her feet.

"Wait! Oliver!"

Upon hearing his own name, he stopped in his tracks. When he saw she was holding something up for him, he walked the few feet back to her door.

"You dropped your tie," she informed him. "It must've slipped off when you put me down."

"Oh. Thank you."

As he reached to take it from her, his hand closed around hers, almost of its own volition. They both felt a jolt of electricity at the contact, and their gazes traveled slowly up until his eyes were locked on hers and vice versa. Then, before he knew what he was doing, his other hand reached up to cup her face, and he leaned in, covering her lips with his.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	5. The Aftermath

He kissed her timidly at first, as if testing the waters, but then found her receptive and deepened the kiss. His tongue brushed her lips, and she eagerly granted him access. Then, the hand that was holding hers went to her waist to pull her snug against him, and that seemed to spark a fire in them both. Their kiss grew in urgency, until finally, Oliver pulled away, breathless and dazed.

"Fe— Felicity," he panted, "we shouldn't...we shouldn't be doing this."

The first thought that came to her mind was, _What?! Why the hell not?!_

Instead, she reluctantly agreed, also a bit out of breath, "Yeah, you're right. I mean, I work for you. It would be totally inappropriate."

"No, that's not why. I don't care about that." He explained, "Felicity, I want this, I really do, but because of the life that I lead, I can't let myself get involved with someone that I could really care about."

She again wanted to ask him why not, ask him what he meant by that, but decided not to press.

Instead, she quietly replied, "Oh. I understand."

They smiled sadly at each other for a moment, before he kissed her on the forehead and departed.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

The next morning, Isabel barged into his office before he'd even fully sat down.

"Isabel," he greeted curtly, not in the mood to deal with her.

"Oliver," she greeted in turn. She didn't appear to be in any better mood than he was.

_Is she ever in a good mood?_ he thought.

Tossing a tabloid onto his desk, she asked, "Care to explain this?"

Picking up the tabloid, he found that he was featured on the cover, as was Felicity. In the photo, his hand held up her leg, and they were gazing passionately into each others' eyes. Obviously, it had been taken the night before at her reunion, right at the end of their dance.

A caption accompanied the photo: 'EXCLUSIVE: QC CEO & Notorious Playboy Oliver Queen Tangos With Secretary — But Are They Doing The Horizontal Mambo?!'

Returning his attention to Isabel, he retorted, "Explain what? There's nothing going on between Felicity and me. It was just a dance."

"Look, I don't care what, or who, you do on your own time. What I do care about, however, is the integrity of this company."

"Really? Because you sound a lot like a jealous lover."

"You wish, Oliver," she scoffed.

With that, she turned and headed for the door. Oliver got up and followed her, tabloid in hand.

Stopping outside of his and Felicity's offices, she added, "All I'm saying is, if you two insist on carrying on your little _liaison_ , I suggest you be a bit more discreet about it!"

Then, Isabel turned on her heel and continued on, heading for her own office.

Felicity's eyebrows knit in confusion, and she asked, "What was that all about?"

With a sigh, Oliver showed her the tabloid. Her eyes went wide at seeing the picture that graced the cover, which was about how he figured she would react.

Without a word, she quickly flipped through it, until she found the article that went along with the photo.

She gasped, "That little gossip-monger!"

"Who?" It was Oliver's turn to look confused.

She jabbed the article with her finger, as he came around her desk to have a look. As one might expect, the article was ripe with insinuations about the nature of his and Felicity's relationship, along with quotes either taken out of context or attributed to 'anonymous sources close to the two'. However, Felicity's finger was resting on the byline, and on that byline was a very familiar name: Rebecca Brookside.

Immediately, Felicity picked up the phone, and started dialing.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She replied, sounding very determined, "I'm going to give that little gossip queen a piece of my mind."

Calmly as can be, he took the phone from her, and set it back down. Then, he twisted her chair until she was facing him, and crouched down in front of her.

"Felicity, I'm sorry I dragged you into the public eye," he began, his eyes conveying his sincerity. "But believe me when I say it's not going to help. What we need to do is go about business as usual, and not feed into the rumor mill. Eventually, they'll realize there's no story, and move on. And in the meantime, we're just going to have to be a little extra careful."

After a while, she conceded, "Well, okay. But can't I at least send her a computer virus?"

He chuckled a little at that, replying, "Negative," before giving her another kiss on the forehead and heading back to his own desk.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said we had to be 'extra careful'," Felicity remarked, stepping into the ArrowCave that night. "I almost couldn't shake those paparazzi."

Oliver and Diggle were in the middle of sparring, but Oliver stopped to say something to Felicity, who quickly assured him, "Don't worry, I made sure I wasn't followed."

At that, he gave a little nod, while she took off her jacket and went to have a seat at her computers.

"Yeah, I saw that photo," Diggle chimed in. "Looked like you two were really burning up the dance floor."

"That was all Oliver," she replied, smiling. "I just let him lead."

Oliver smiled back at her, then returned his attention to Diggle, who was smirking at him knowingly.

"What?!"

"Man, you got it bad," was Diggle's response as he shook his head at Oliver.

"What?!" he asked again, this time in disbelief. He glanced over at Felicity, who was already working away at her computers and apparently hadn't heard Diggle's comment. "You're just as bad as Isabel. Felicity and I are just friends."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." As they resumed their sparring session, Diggle added, "Let's look at the facts, shall we? Fact #1: You both obviously care a great deal for each other."

Oliver grunted as Diggle knocked him to the ground.

"As friends," Oliver retorted, getting up. "And teammates."

"Fact #2," Diggle continued, "ever since Felicity went undercover at that strip club, it's like someone turned up the awkward dial between you two to eleven."

This time, it was Diggle's turn to hit the floor.

"Nice," he complimented Oliver, referring to the move he had just used. Once he was back up on his feet, he added, "Fact #3: That picture. I mean, that look on your face as you looked into her eyes — "

"Alright, alright, point taken," Oliver interjected. With another quick glance over at Felicity, he quietly informed Diggle, "Even if there is something there, I can't very well act on it."

"Why not? And don't give me that bullshit about how her life would be in danger."

Oliver countered, "Digg, anyone that gets close to me winds up getting hurt, or worse, killed."

"Yeah, but she and I knew that going into this thing. We took on the risks."

"Still, if the wrong person finds out what she means to me, then that target on her back will only get bigger."

"Oliver, man, relax. She's been learning how to defend herself. And besides, as long as either of us are around, we're not going to let anything bad happen to her."

With a heavy sigh, Oliver replied, "Let's say you're right. Let's say she wouldn't be in anymore danger than she is now. There's still one thing you're not taking into consideration."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

"If Felicity and I explore whatever is between us, if we cross that line, it could ruin what the three of us have here. Because either we're always worried about each other, or things don't work out and we still have to work together."

"Oliver, man, you're grasping at straws. You're making up excuses because you don't think you deserve to be happy. Well, guess what, you do deserve it."

Oliver grew silent for a moment, losing himself in thought, and when he looked up, he saw Felicity staring back at him.

"You guys got really quiet all of a sudden," she pointed out, nervously.

"Yeah, uh, sorry about that." Oliver rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. If Felicity didn't know any better, she'd swear he was embarrassed.

_Oliver Queen doesn't get embarrassed. Does he?_

She narrowed her eyes at him, studying his face carefully. Under the scrutiny of her gaze, though, he quickly changed the subject.

"So, anything popping up?" he asked, as he and Diggle came to stand on either side of her. "An illegal arms deal, a jewelry store heist...a little old lady needs help crossing the street?"

Felicity looked at him in mock surprise, then said to the other member of their team, "Wow, Digg, I do believe our Mr. Queen here has made a funny."

"Hey, I joke around," Oliver retorted in his own defense.

Felicity and Diggle both made skeptical noises, while Oliver narrowed his eyes at them indignantly.

Returning her attention to her computers, Felicity informed him, "Actually, Oliver, everything's been pretty quiet tonight."

"Really?"

"Yep. There's been a couple of muggings and a convenience store hold-up, but nothing that the SCPD can't handle."

He sighed, "Well, then, I guess there's nothing left for us to do but wait."

"Guess so," Diggle agreed.

With that, they went back to sparring, and Felicity went back to working on her computers, as they all waited for something to happen. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending upon how you looked at it), the rest of the night was just as uneventful, unless you counted the glances Oliver and Felicity kept trying to steal at each other.

Then, after they'd all agreed to call it a night, Diggle headed home, giving Oliver a knowing look as he departed.

As Felicity gathered up her things and prepared to leave as well, Oliver approached her tentatively.

"Felicity. About last night..."

"Oh." She shook her head, plastering on a reassuring smile. "Don't even worry about it."

She stepped past him, but then he gently grabbed her by the arm and spun her back around, causing her to collide softly with his chest. Before she could react, he planted his lips on hers, evidently more sure of himself now.

But as much as she loved kissing him, and had fantasized about it more than she'd care to admit, she used every ounce of willpower she had to pull her lips away from his.

"Wha— What about last night? You said — "

"I know what I said. But I realize now that I was wrong. Digg made me see that."

"What? Digg? So, that's what you two were talking about earlier?" Even as she asked it, she didn't sound mad or hurt. In fact, she sounded rather relieved.

"Yeah, he made me realize that I was being an idiot."

"I could've told you that," she scoffed without thinking. She then had the good grace to look embarrassed. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I guess what I'm trying to say is," here he took a deep breath, "I'm willing to take a chance on us if you are."

The flush from her embarrassment quickly turned into that of pure, exhilarated ecstasy.

"I'd like that," she replied, smiling warmly while trying to keep her heart from doing cartwheels.

His lips then split into the widest grin she had ever seen on him in all the time they'd known each other. Granted, they'd only known each other for about a year and a half, but working together so closely in life-and-death situations tended to create a pretty deep bond.

Then, without warning, he happily reclaimed her lips, and this time, she let him, gladly dropping her belongings to wrap her arms around his neck as his own arms snaked their way around her waist and pulled her closer.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	6. The Aftermath, Part 2

The kiss had started out joyful and even kind of chaste, but then devolved into one that was passionate and lustful. Before things could progress much further, though, Oliver pulled his lips away from hers.

_Ugh, you're killing me, Oliver!_ Felicity's mind protested.

"We don't have to rush into anything, Felicity," he assured her. "We can just take things slow, if that's what you'd prefer."

"Yeah. Yeah, we should probably take things slow," she reluctantly replied, trying not to sound disappointed.

Maybe it was wishful thinking, but even as he agreed with her, she could've sworn he seemed disappointed too.

After a moment passed wherein the two of them just stood there awkwardly, agreeing with each other, Felicity finally said, "Oh, screw it," and resumed their heated liplock.

His fingers, calloused yet nimble from all the years he'd spent handling a bow and arrow, made quick work of the buttons on her blouse. He then pushed her top off her shoulders, allowing his greedy mouth much better access to her neck.

"Oh, Oliver," she moaned softly, while his hands cupped her breasts, massaging them and teasing her nipples through the black lacy fabric covering them. That, coupled with the delicious things he was doing with that wonderful mouth of his, caused her nether-region to moisten.

He then trailed his kisses down her chest, before liberating her nipples and lavishing them with attention. From there, his lips made their way down to the waistline of her skirt. Then, with a lustful gleam to his eye, he quickly reached up and ripped her panties off, the move taking her by surprise but also turning her on at the same time.

Immediately, he replaced the now-torn fabric with his hand, pleased to find her already wet. His fingers quickly found their target, and he watched with a mixture of pride and desire as she writhed and moaned from his manipulations. Finally, he brought her to her release, once, twice, three times.

He was not disappointed by the sounds she made.

Then, before her ecstasy could fully subside, he bunched up her skirt around her waist, and immediately attached his mouth to her center, taking her by surprise yet again though she quickly got over it as he licked and sucked at the bundle of nerves.

And if she enjoyed the things his mouth was doing before!

Feeling she might break apart at any moment, she quickly grabbed hold of the back of her chair, the only thing within reach, but Oliver, it seemed, had other ideas. He greedily grabbed her by the ass and pulled her pelvis closer to him, sending her over the peak of her pleasure. Automatically, she plunged a hand into his hair and gripped just hard enough to turn him on, while shrieks of ecstasy escaped her throat, her moans falling somewhere between the wail of a banshee and that of an opera diva.

Afterwards, she let go of his hair, looking flushed with arousal but also embarrassment. He then returned to a standing position, a self-satisfied smirk plastered to his face.

"Enjoying?" he asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

At that, he raised an eyebrow at her.

If it was possible, she flushed even more.

"I just mean, I don't normally lose control like that," she explained.

"Well, I'm glad I could be the one to give you that," he replied, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, close enough that she could feel something nudging her through his workout pants.

For a moment, he gazed into her eyes with a combination of desire and tenderness, before leaning down and covering her mouth with his. The kiss started out sweet, but quickly reignited the spark of passion inside them both. Especially once she got a taste of herself on his lips, and was reminded of what he had done to her only moments ago.

Eagerly, she helped him out of the confines of his pants. Then, without breaking contact, Oliver picked her up by her ass, and promptly wrapped her legs around his waist, though Felicity barely noticed because right afterwards, his mouth found her neck again. Next thing she knew, her back had landed softly up against the nearest concrete pillar, and he was nudging her entrance with his impressive length.

"Oh, god, Oliver," she told him, barely above a whisper. "I need you. Now."

With that, he quickly thrust upwards, burying himself to the hilt in her softness. As he did so, he let out a deep-throated groan of pleasure, while she moaned at the sensation of taking him all in. He then waited a moment, giving them both time to adjust, before thrusting again. Then again and again, his hips quickly picking up speed until he was pumping into her, hard and fast and deep.

"Dig your nails into me, Felicity," he grunted. He was enjoying himself, but didn't want to lose control too soon.

Without question, she did as she was told, and was rewarded with the sexiest, manliest growl in the history of the universe. Plus, that look he was giving her! The look that said that if he wasn't already ravaging her, that would be his number one priority!

Eventually, he brought her to her climax, and started slowing in his exertions as she rode the wave of her orgasm. Since he was still hard, and still eager to give her all the pleasure she could handle, he slowly, torturously pulled out, then immediately dove back in. Out, then in. Out, then in. All the while keeping to the same agonizing pace. She didn't mind, though, because something about the very air around them had changed. Whereas before, lust had driven each of his thrusts, now their lovemaking was just that: lovemaking.

They moved as one, and in that moment, they _were_ one. They completed each other like no one else who had come before. Their eyes remain locked on each other, conveying all the love and care they had for one another and all the trust they had put in each other from one life-and-death situation after another.

They were enjoying each other so much that, in no time at all, he had given her yet another orgasm, though he himself was _still_ rock-hard.

"Wow! Your stamina..." she marveled, panting as the latest wave of pleasure subsided. "Just...wow!"

He smirked, before nibbling on her neck again, making her moan, which in turn made him even harder. Aching for release, he quickly bucked his hips, hitting home once more and nearly making her arch off the concrete pillar. Then, again and again in quick succession, resuming their frantic fucking one more time.

Their voices blended together in a chorus of pants and moans, and from that chorus, his name came tumbling from her lips in the sexiest chant he'd ever heard. And with that, he was sent hurtling straight towards the cliff.

"Felicity," he groaned, "I...can't..."

He trailed off, rocking his hips one final time, sending them both tumbling over into the abyss of ecstasy, their moans reaching a crescendo in perfect harmony.

Afterwards, they kissed in between lovingly gazing into each others' eyes, still in the thrall of sex. She experienced a pleasant throbbing between her legs, wanting to stay joined forever.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	7. Oliver's Decision

ABOUT A WEEK LATER...

"Oliver, we need to talk."

"Ms. Loring," Oliver greeted in mild surprise, looking up from his desk. He and Felicity had been going over some paperwork, when his mother's attorney had just barged into his office.

Glancing over at Felicity for assistance, he asked Ms. Loring, "Did...we have an appointment?"

"No, we didn't. But I thought I'd come by and discuss your mother's case; that is, if you're not too busy."

"Oh. Here, let me..." Felicity quickly gathered up some papers and a pen, then started heading for her own office, wanting to give Oliver and the newcomer some privacy.

"Actually, Ms. Smoak," Ms. Loring told her, stopping her in her tracks, "this concerns you too."

Now, it was Felicity's turn to look to Oliver for assistance. He seemed just as confused as she was, but he nodded once, indicating that it was okay.

"Please, have a seat," Ms. Loring said, indicating the two couches in the corner.

Felicity did as she was told, while Oliver got up from his desk to join them. Automatically, Oliver and Felicity took seats within close proximity to each other, their backs to the window, while Ms. Loring sat down on the couch opposite them.

"Now, what I wanted to discuss," she began, digging in her briefcase and coming up with some tabloid rag, "is this."

She slid the tabloid across the table at them, and Oliver picked it up while Felicity leaned in closer to him to have a better look, resting both her hands on his arm without even realizing it. It was _The Starling City Inquisitor_ , the cover of which contained headshots of the two of them, along with the headline, _Oliver Queen & Secretary: How They Carried on Their Secret Affair for Years!_

"I think you'll find all the juicy details on page 13," Ms. Loring informed them.

Quickly flipping to the suggested page, Oliver first noticed the photos that went with the article, photos of himself and Felicity entering QC together; having dinner together at Table Salt; and stepping into Verdant together (thankfully, through the front entrance).

The second thing he noticed was the article itself. Once again, the byline was by Rebecca Brookside, Felicity's nemesis from high school, and once again, the article was chock-full of insinuations. It implied that Felicity had slept her way to the top of the corporate ladder, and that they'd been sleeping together well before he'd become CEO, with him being accused of making up lame excuses to visit her at work.

Felicity's eyes widened in shock as she skimmed over it, while beside her, Oliver returned his attention to the woman sitting across from him.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Loring, but what does this have to do with my mother's case?"

She explained, "Moira's whole defense pivots on what kind of parent she was, and it doesn't look good if, after being arrested, her son is," here, she glanced over at Felicity, choosing her words carefully, "resuming his playboy ways."

"Playboy ways?! Felicity's the only woman I'm currently seeing! How — "

She smoothly cut in, "The thing is, Oliver, she's your secretary, and on the surface, it looks as though you've promoted her just because you're sleeping with her. We need people to know that — "

It was Oliver's turn to interrupt, "I don't care how it looks! Felicity and I have nothing to prove!"

"Oliver," Felicity interjected quietly, "if our being together is going to hurt your mother's case, then maybe — "

"No," he replied, just as quietly. "I love my mother, but I am not going to lose you. There has to be another way."

"There is," Ms. Loring informed them. "Since a public breakup is obviously out of the question, you can either fire her, or issue a statement to the press denying that there's anything going on between you two. But, that means that you'd have to keep it professional when out in public together; no kissing, no hand-holding, nothing that even hints at a romantic relationship."

Oliver and Felicity looked at each other, uncertain.

"The only other alternative," Ms. Loring added, "is to show people that you're serious about each other. Say, by getting engaged."

At that, Felicity went from uncertain to downright uncomfortable.

"M-M-Marriage?" she stuttered. "B-But we just started dating."

Oliver, however, looked as if he were actually contemplating it.

Ms. Loring continued, "Now, I'm not saying you'd actually have to get married. If you'd like, you could simply call it off once this is all over."

"But, that's dishonest," Felicity pointed out.

"Well, it's your choice," Ms. Loring told them with a quick tilt of her head. Then, with a sigh, she gathered up her briefcase, and stood.

The only other two people in the room stood with her.

"We'll let you know something soon," Oliver said, buttoning the last button on his jacket.

Ms. Loring nodded once in acknowledgement, giving them a sympathetic smile.

"I'll see myself out."

As Ms. Loring's heels clicked on the marble floor, they stood there in silence, neither knowing what to say or even think. But by the time they heard the elevator doors dinging open, ready to take Ms. Loring back down to the lobby, Felicity had already made up her mind. She headed straight for her own office, Oliver quickly following in confusion.

As she took a seat at the desk and started working on her computer, he asked, "Felicity, what are you doing?"

Without even glancing up from the screen, she replied, "I figure if I get started now, I can email you my resignation by the end of the day."

"What?! Felicity, you're not quitting!"

"Yes, I am. This way, you don't have to fire me."

"I'm not going to fire you. And I don't accept your resignation."

She finally stopped typing, and looked up at him.

"Then, what are we going to do?" she asked, her eyes pleading with him for a solution. "Because I don't expect you to fake-propose, and you can't expect me to act like we don't mean anything at all to each other."

"I don't know, but we'll figure something out."

"I certainly hope so," came a female voice from behind Oliver.

He whirled around to see Isabel standing in the doorway.

"Otherwise," she continued, breezing into the office like it was hers, "you'll both be out of a job."

"But Oliver's the CEO," Felicity retorted. "His name is on the building. You can't fire him."

"Hmm, we'll see," Isabel replied, smiling enigmatically.

"Did you want something, Isabel?" Oliver demanded, her very presence starting to grate on his nerves.

"No," she admitted, simply. "Just thought I should come down here to remind you that I _specifically_ told you two to be more discreet."

"Yes, I well remember."

"Good. Then I don't need to remind you that thanks to your mother's trial, this company can't afford any more erosions of its integrity."

"Isabel, we're handling it." Oliver's patience was wearing thin.

"See that you do." Sparing a glance at Felicity, she coolly added, "Or I'll handle it for you."

With that, she stormed off, her heels clicking on the floor like ice.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

THE NEXT DAY: IRON HEIGHTS PRISON

"Felicity?" Oliver asked, confused to see her there. "What are you doing here?"

He was there to visit his mother, when he came around the corner to find his mother and the woman in question standing on opposite sides of a small table.

"I asked her to come," Moira answered for her. "Please, sit."

As they all took a seat, Moira on one side and Felicity and Oliver on the other, Moira explained, "I asked you both here because Jean told me that she went to see you two yesterday."

"Mom, I — "

"Now, before you say anything or make any rash decisions, I told her she shouldn't have done that. Oliver, sweetheart, you've had to endure more in this past year, these past _six_ years, than most people go through in two lifetimes. But you've not only survived, you've flourished. I think a lot of that has to do with Felicity."

Moira and Oliver's attentions turned to the woman on Oliver's right, who promptly blushed and looked down at the table under the pretense of pushing up her glasses.

"Actually, Mrs. Queen," Felicity replied, "I think a lot of it has to do with your son being a fighter."

She smiled at Oliver, and he in turn smiled sideways at her. For a moment, their surroundings were entirely forgotten.

"Oh, that he is," Moira agreed, interrupting their little moment. "But I think you underestimate yourself, Felicity. I can see, even now, that you make my son so happy. I haven't seen him smile like that in a long time."

Felicity smiled up at Oliver again, before quietly admitting, "He makes me happy too."

"Well, there you have it. So, as your mother, Oliver, let me put your mind at ease: your and Felicity's relationship will not be the determining factor in my trial. Not that you need it, but you two have my blessing."

However, she added, "I'm...just sorry I had to find out from the tabloids."

"Mom, I was going to tell you," Oliver began. "It's just that Felicity and I just started dating."

"Yes, I figured the tabloid got that part wrong. I knew you would never have cheated on Helena or McKenna, psycho though the former may have been. Just like I know you would never promote someone based solely on your sex life."

"Mom!" It was Oliver's turn to blush.

"Well, it's true," she proclaimed.

"Could we not talk about my sex life, please?"

Moira winked over at Felicity, who was clearly enjoying seeing Oliver uncomfortable for once.

About half an hour later, Oliver and Felicity turned in their visitors' badges on their way out, and collected some things they'd been forced to leave with one of the guards, namely their coats and Felicity's purse.

"Can I just say, I really like your mom!" Felicity declared as they stepped out into the fresh air, where Digg stood waiting for Oliver. "I mean, even though she did help Malcolm Merlyn kidnap your stepdad. Well, allegedly helped. She was just trying to protect you and Thea. Again, allegedly. And it's not like — "

He stopped her ramblings with a kiss, heedless of Digg or any guards that may have been watching.

When they pulled apart, she smiled, remarking, "If that's how you're going to react to my babbling from now on, clearly I should babble more often."

He returned her smile, asking, "So, see you back at the Foundry?"

"Count on it."

"You sure you wouldn't rather carpool?"

"Well, considering I came here in my own car, I'm sure." With that, she gave him a quick peck on the lips, and departed.

"Hey, Digg," she greeted on her way to her own vehicle.

"Hey, Felicity," he replied. Then, opening up the door for Oliver, he said, "Man, you two are too cutesy for your own good."

Before climbing into the backseat, Oliver goodnaturedly retorted, "Oh, says the guy whose first words, when he'd learned Felicity and I had started dating, were, 'About damn time.'"

Digg chuckled, "True. But doesn't make you two any less 'cutesy'."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

As they made their way to the Arrowcave, somehow staying right behind Felicity the entire way, Oliver's eyes wandered to his coat, which had sat in his lap since they'd left Iron Heights. In particular, his eyes strayed to one of the pockets.

Finally, he reached into it, and pulled out a small velvety box. Inside was a small, claddagh-style ring, with a emerald in its center. It was simple and tasteful, just the way Felicity would've wanted it even though Oliver felt she deserved more than that. But more importantly, it was a symbol of their friendship and the love they had for each other.

He'd picked it out earlier that day, fully intending to pop the question. True, Ms. Loring had gotten him thinking about it, but his mom's trial wasn't the only reason he'd been considering it. Yes, they'd only just started dating, but they'd come to genuinely care about each other long before that. He would've gladly given his life if it meant keeping her safe, and he knew she felt the same way (not that he would've ever let that happen).

"Hey, man," Digg said, interrupting Oliver's thoughts. "What you got there?"

"An engagement ring," he replied, simply.

"A what?!" Digg nearly swerved, but managed to keep it in their lane. "Oliver, man. Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yes," Oliver answered instantly.

"Wow, you didn't even hesitate," Digg marveled, watching his friend in the rear-view mirror. He looked for any traces of doubt, but instead, found none. "Well, what makes you so sure Felicity's going to accept? I mean, you guys you just started dating, and with your mom's trial and all..."

"I guess we won't know until I ask. I just got to find the right moment."

Digg scoffed, "Yeah, given our line of work, lotsa luck with that."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	8. From Russia with Love

ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER: MOSCOW

"Could you be anymore obvious?" Isabel chided.

"What? What are you talking about?" Oliver asked, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"Don't play dumb with me," she replied, glancing over at where Felicity and Digg were getting their passports stamped. "It's bad enough our company is a laughingstock because of you and your little _dalliance_ , but then to go and take the corporate jet for a weekend of fun with your assistant?!"

"First of all, Felicity is not some 'little dalliance'. And secondly, this really is just a business trip. I'm not the kind of guy that you seem to think I am — "

"Oh, you don't want to know what I think."

"...and even if I was, don't you think I'd have flown somewhere a bit more romantic than Moscow?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"Careful, Isabel. Your jealousy is showing."

"Not jealousy, Oliver; annoyance," she corrected. "You said you were handling it, and I have yet to see a shred of evidence to back that up."

They stood there a moment, just staring each other down. Finally, it was Isabel who spoke again, "By the way, I've arranged a meeting with the chief operating officer of our Moscow subsidiaries, tomorrow at ten a.m. Try your hardest not to miss this one."

With that, Isabel stalked off, just as Oliver was joined by Felicity and Digg.

"What was that all about?" Felicity asked.

"Nothing," he answered quickly, wanting to forget all about Isabel and his argument with her.

Then, turning to Digg, Oliver informed him that everything with his Russian contact was set. However, it was Felicity who responded in turn.

"You have friends in the Russian mafia?" she asked. "Color me not at all surprised."

"You're going straight to the hotel in a cab," he told her, not giving her much choice.

"No, you're leaving me with her?!" She indicated Isabel's retreating form, her eyes bugging out in alarm.

Kissing her on the forehead, Oliver quickly assured his girlfriend, "Don't worry, you can handle her. Besides, Digg and I need to get a drink."

"Well...I wouldn't...mind a drink," she quietly complained as her companions headed for the exit.

Once they were out of her earshot, Digg pointed out, "I noticed that Felicity still doesn't have a ring on her finger."

"I'm well aware, Digg. And I'm working on it."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

ABOUT 24 HOURS LATER...

"So, did you know Digg used to be married?" Felicity asked.

She and Oliver were curled up under the covers together, still in their hotel room in Moscow. They had just finished a session of lovemaking, and Felicity's head was pillowed on Oliver's chest, an arm and a very shapely leg draped over him.

"Of course," Oliver replied into her hair. "I did my research on him, on both of you."

Immediately, her head shot up from his chest, eyes wide and cheeks flushing scarlet.

"Okay, I can explain that weekend in Cancun," she blurted out. "It was spring break, and my friends put me up to it."

At that, one of Oliver's eyebrows shot up into his hairline in surprise.

"What weekend?" he asked, intrigued. "Put you up to what?"

Her cheeks turned even redder, and she replied, "Nothing, never mind."

Returning her head to his chest, she quickly changed the subject, "Well, anyway, I'm glad we could help Digg rescue Lyla. And I'm glad he didn't kill Deadshot. Still, it must've been hard for him, just letting the man who killed his brother go free."

"Yeah, he's honorable like that. As much as he wants to avenge his brother's murder, he wasn't about to kill an unarmed man. Besides, Deadshot did help him find Lyla, so he kinda owed him."

Suddenly, there came a rhythmic banging from the wall behind them.

"Speaking of Digg and Lyla..." Felicity said, smiling into Oliver's torso while he smiled as well. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her, a thought that wiped the smile off her face and made her cheeks blush again. "Oh, god. Does that mean that they heard us?"

"Probably."

His smile got wider when she muttered into his abs, utterly mortified, "Oh, god!"

"You were saying that earlier," he teased.

She simply glared up at him, clearly not as amused as he was by the situation.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

THE FOLLOWING MORNING...

They landed in Starling City, and disembarked from the plane, Isabel leading the way, Digg and Lyla right behind her, and Oliver and Felicity bringing up the rear.

"Is it just me," Felicity began, feeling a little queasy, "or was the return trip really bumpy?"

"No more than the trip there," Oliver replied, a bit concerned about the green tinge Felicity was starting to take on. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

Up ahead of them, Isabel got into a waiting limo, as she told them tersely, "I'll see you two in the office tomorrow."

"Looks like someone didn't have any fun this weekend," Felicity observed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Oliver asked, paying no attention to Isabel. "You really don't look so good."

"I'm fine," she reiterated, flashing a reassuring smile. "It was probably just something I ate. I guess Russian food doesn't exactly agree with me."

Oliver wasn't convinced, but he let it slide, determining to keep an eye on her.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

TWO DAYS LATER...

As it turned out, Oliver's concerns weren't totally unfounded.

Felicity still wasn't feeling any better, but she insisted on coming to work because she knew Oliver needed her.

That, apparently, was a big mistake because as she was on her way into Oliver's office with some papers, Oliver heard a thud and looked up to see Felicity on the floor out in the hall.

He quickly rushed to see about her, almost knocking over his chair in the process.

"Felicity? Felicity!" he called out in alarm, kneeling beside her.

However, Felicity's eyes were already starting to flutter open.

"What— What happened?" she asked.

"You fainted," he informed her.

"Wha— Fainted? No, that's not possible. I don't fain— " She tried to stand, only to get light-headed again. Thankfully, Oliver's arms were there to catch her as she wobbled, and for her to grab onto as she steadied herself.

"Felicity, I'm really worried about you." Once he was sure she could stand on her own, he pulled out his cell phone, and started dialing. "I'm going to make an appointment for you with my family's physician, and then you're going to take the afternoon off."

She started to protest, "Oliver, no. I'm — "

He cut off her off with a plea, "Felicity, please. Just go home and take care of yourself."

His concern for her was touching. So, reluctantly, she relented.

"Okay," she told him quietly, nodding her head in agreement. "Just let me get my things."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	9. The Right Time

A LITTLE OVER A WEEK LATER...

Sitting in the doctor's office, alone with her thoughts, Felicity couldn't help but bounce her knee up and down anxiously. It was the second time she'd been there in as many weeks. Dr. Williamson, the Queen family physician, had called her once her test results were in, but he'd insisted on discussing them in person.

_Why wouldn't he give me the results over the phone?_ she wondered. _That can't be a good sign._

_Hold on_ , she chided herself. _Maybe it's good news and he's just wanting to make sure you don't have any follow-up questions. You could be getting yourself all worked up over nothing._

She tried to distract herself by reading the degrees and medical posters he had hanging up. Finally, Dr. Williamson came in, a file folder in hand. He was an older gentleman, with a stocky build, white hair, a kind smile, and thin spectacles.

"Hello again, Ms. Smoak," he greeted jovially, shutting the door behind him.

"Hi, Dr. Williamson," she greeted in turn, smiling politely despite her nerves.

"I have your test results right here," he informed her, taking a seat opposite her.

"So, what's the diagnosis? Is it bad?"

"Not at all, Ms. Smoak," he assured her, beaming at her over the top of his glasses.

"Really?" She instantly relaxed a little.

"Yes. In fact, let me be the first to congratulate you."

"Congratulate me? For what?"

"You're pregnant."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

Pregnant.

She...was pregnant.

She, Felicity Megan Smoak, was pregnant.

Except for their first time together, she and Oliver were usually so careful.

Suddenly, as she sat in her car in the hospital's parking garage, her high school sex ed class came rushing back to her: _It only takes one time._

She turned her attention to her abdomen, placing a hand over it and trying to imagine a life growing there.

So many questions swirled through her head: Was it fair to bring a kid into the life that she, Oliver, and Digg currently led? Wouldn't he or she become a target for The Arrow's enemies should they discover his real identity? And speaking of, what about the Queen side of the family? Simply because of his or her last name, they would be raised in the spotlight, constantly hounded by the media. Was that fair to them?

Then, for some reason she couldn't explain, her eyes were drawn to the backseat, where Oliver had nearly bled out following a confrontation with his mom.

_One thing's for sure, it'll make for an interesting story someday_ , she thought to herself, _like how Mommy had saved Daddy's life and how he'd changed hers._

That's when it hit her, _really > hit her. In a few months, she would be someone's Mommy. Some small being would be completely dependent upon her. And Oliver._

_She decided then and there that she wanted this baby with all her heart, and that she would keep him or her safe, no matter what it took. She knew Oliver would feel the same way. If only he knew._

_Returning her attention to her belly, she said, "I don't know if you can hear me in there, but I don't know how I'm going to tell your Daddy about you."_

_Heaving a weighty sigh, she put her seat belt on, adding, "I'll just have to find the right moment, I guess."_

__

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

Turns out, finding the right moment was a lot harder than Felicity thought.

No sooner had she found out she was pregnant than Moira's trial was set to start. So, she'd decided to wait until after a verdict had been delivered to tell Oliver the good news. That way, if Moira was acquitted, Felicity's announcement would just be the cherry on top, and if Moira was convicted, then at least Felicity had a way to cheer Oliver up.

Before the trial could fully get underway, though, a complication arose. The Count had escaped from prison, and was wreaking havoc with a new version of the drug Vertigo. In the process, he'd managed to infect both Digg and Adam Donner, the A.D.A. trying Moira's case. And if that wasn't bad enough, he'd managed to kidnap Felicity while she'd been investigating the flu-mobiles he was using to distribute the drug.

_"Please," she told him, tears stinging her eyes, "I'm pregnant."_

_She wasn't above begging, not when it came to her unborn child._

_"Well, my dear," he replied, "_ you _should have thought of that before you stuck your nose into my business. But don't worry, your employer is on his way here as we speak. Once I'm through with him, you and your child won't live very much longer."_

_Suddenly, he gasped, as realization seemed to dawn on him._

_"It's_ his _, isn't it?" he deduced. "Oliver Queen, a.k.a. The Hood, a.k.a. The Arrow. That's his child you're carrying."_

_He didn't wait for a response. Instead, his eyes twinkled with delight, as he declared, "Oh, this is just too delicious! On second thought, maybe I'll kill you first, really make him suffer, before putting him out of his misery."_

_He added bitterly, "That's certainly more than he did for me."_

_"Please..." she repeated. "I beg you — "_

_But she was interrupted by Oliver's angry shout behind her, "Count! Let her go! Your problem is with me!"_

_Glancing to the window to her left, she saw Oliver's reflection in the glass, saw how he had an arrow aimed straight at her captor._

_"Well, if it isn't the proud — " the Count began, but she cut him off with a kick to the shin. Of all the ways Oliver could've find out, that was not the way she'd have preferred._

_"I said, let her go," Oliver repeated, heedless of whatever it was the Count had been about to say. "I'm not going to tell you again."_

_"Oh, really?" Spinning her in her chair to face Oliver, the Count quickly knelt down behind Felicity, and held two syringes of Vertigo to her neck. "You know, I can't tell you how much I hated you for poisoning me and putting me in a hole. Turns out, someone else hates you too. He's a man of means, set me up with my new operation so I could draw you out. And kill you."_

_Moving the syringes closer to her neck, he added, "But first, I'm going to kill her. So, say goodbye to your little sweetheart and your — "_

_Before the Count could say more, Oliver fired off an arrow into his shoulder. While it didn't kill him, it did take him aback, literally, offering Oliver a bigger target._

_A split second before he did it, Felicity knew what was about to come._

_"Oliver, no, don't! Not for me!" she cried out._

_But too late. Oliver fired off another arrow, and then another, until the Count fell behind her, dead._

_Afterwards, as he freed her from her bonds, the look of guilt and concern for her nearly broke her heart._

_"Oliver, I'm sorry," she began, her voice shaky. "I got myself into trouble again, and you killed him. You killed again, and I'm sorry that I was the one to put you in a position where you had to make that kind of choice."_

_He cupped her face and looked deep into her eyes, assuring her, "Felicity, he had you, and he was going to hurt you. There was no choice to make. The important thing is, you're safe, you're alright."_

Despite his words, she had decided to hold off a little longer on telling him about the baby. Even though Moira was acquitted that same day, she felt it best to wait until after he'd had time to process everything before dropping a bombshell on him.

Mostly, though, she felt guilty that she had been the one to make him violate his 'no killing' rule. If it wasn't for her insistence on going alone to investigate the Count, she would've never been in that position to begin with and Oliver wouldn't have had to kill to protect her and the baby. Not to mention, she was already off to a not-great start as a mother, having knowingly put herself in danger like that.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

Finally, the 'right moment' arrived about a week later.

Felicity almost gave herself away during the party Oliver and Thea had thrown for their mother. She'd asked for some water instead of champagne, and while Oliver hadn't thought much of it, Isabel kept shooting funny looks her way, as if she'd figured it out.

Then, later that night, she and Digg had found Oliver passed out in an A.R.G.U.S. bunker, a couple of syringes sticking out of his leg. Since they couldn't identify what was in the syringes, and a hospital would've asked a bunch of questions they couldn't answer, they'd taken him back to the Arrowcave, in the process kidnapping Barry Allen, a new friend of hers and the only one she deemed trustworthy enough to help.

"Please save my boyfriend," she'd pleaded.

Thankfully, Barry was able to identify what was in the syringes and get him stabilized, though Oliver still lay unconscious on the med-bay table. Felicity stood by his side the entire time, holding his hand in both of hers.

Sensing Felicity needed a moment alone, Barry and Digg left to get something to eat. That's when Felicity started talking to Oliver.

"I don't know if you can hear me," she said. "But I need you to be okay. _We_ need you to be okay. You might have noticed that I talk a lot. You might have also noticed that I don't talk a lot about my family. My mother is...well, she's my mother. And I don't really know what my father is 'cause he abandoned us. I barely remember him. But I do remember how much it hurt when he left. And just the thought of losing someone that important to me again..."

She was near tears as she placed his hand over her abdomen, adding, "I don't want this baby to grow up like I did, without a father. I don't want to raise this baby without you."

"Hmm..." he groaned, beginning to stir.

"Oliver? Oliver!" She moved one of her hands to his face in relief.

"Felicity? What — What happened?" he asked in a daze, sitting up and throwing his legs over the side of the table.

"You were drugged, Digg and I didn't know with what. So, we brought you back here, and Barry saved your life."

"You told him who I am?" He got unsteadily to his feet. "Felicity, that's not your secret to tell. I decide who finds out my identity."

"Yeah, well, we didn't have time to get your vote, what with you unconscious and dying."

"Where is he right now?" Oliver looked around to find the Arrowcave empty except for the two of them. "How do you know he's not telling the police about me as we speak?"

"He wouldn't do that. He and Digg went to Big Belly Burger. Besides, I just told you I'm pregnant and _that's_ what you're focusing on?"

"What? You're what?" He looked from her face to her abdomen, his gaze lingering for a moment before returning to her face again.

"Yep." She smiled shyly up at him, biting her lip while placing both hands on her abdomen. "The doctor doesn't know for sure, but he estimates I'm about five weeks along. Well, six, now."

He tried to do some quick math. "That would place it — "

"Yep," she repeated. Jerking her head to an area to her left, she confirmed, "Our baby was conceived right up against that pillar over there."

"But...you said it was food poisoning."

"I know, and I'm sorry I lied, but I wanted to wait until it was the right time."

"A lot of that going around," he muttered.

"Huh?" Her eyebrows knit in confusion.

With a heavy sigh, as if steeling himself against something, Oliver retrieved the ring from a drawer, and held it between his thumb and forefinger for Felicity to see. She gasped, her eyes going wide and her fingertips automatically flying to her mouth in shock.

Then, lowering her hands, she said, "Oliver! Is that...?"

"I keep waiting for the right time," he explained, "but there's never a right time. And I don't want you to think I'm doing this because of the baby. Because I'm not. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that is."

He got down on one knee, asking, "Felicity Smoak. Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

The tears that had threatened to overflow as Oliver had lain unconscious now spilled down her cheeks, now with a new purpose.

"Yes," she replied, so quietly she was afraid he hadn't heard. A little louder this time, she tried again, "Yes. Yes, Oliver, I will marry you."

His face split into a huge grin as he slipped the ring on her finger. Then, he stood, and pulled her into a loving embrace.

"Ahem." The sound of someone clearing their throat let them know they were no longer alone.

The pair looked to the stairs, where Digg and Barry stood about halfway down, their hands occupied with bags of food and drinks with lids. Barry looked happy for them, but it was tinged with a bit of sadness, given his crush on Felicity. In front of him, meanwhile, Digg smiled indulgently at them.

"I'd applaud," he said, continuing his descent into the lair, "but as you can see, I've got my hands full."

"Congratulations, you two," he added. Setting down the food, Digg gave first Felicity and then Oliver hugs of his own, both of them brotherly.

"Yeah, congratulations," Barry chimed in, smiling sadly.

"Thanks," Felicity told them. Then, looking to Oliver excitedly, she asked, "Should we go ahead and tell them the other news?"

"What other news?" Digg asked. "Do I even wanna know?"

Taking Oliver's hand in hers, Felicity happily informed them, "I'm pregnant."

At that, Digg's mouth hung open, before turning into a smile that spread from ear to ear. He exchanged another round of hugs with his friends, congratulating them once again.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	10. The Firstborn

"Mom?" Oliver asked, stepping into the Queen mansion, Felicity's hand grasped firmly in his.

"Oliver. Thank you for coming home, sweetheart." Moira greeted her eldest offspring with a hug. Then, seeing his companion, she added, "Felicity. It's good to see you again, dear."

"You too, Mrs. Queen."

"Is everything alright?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know," Moira replied. "Your sister's locked herself in her room, and she won't talk to me."

"Don't worry, I'll talk to her," he assured his mother. "But first, Felicity and I have some news to share."

"Oh?"

"Felicity and I..." he began, exchanging a look with the woman in question, small smiles playing at their faces.

"We're engaged," he concluded, while at the same time, Felicity excitedly blurted out, "We're expecting!"

Then, realizing they'd made two completely separate announcements, they exchanged another look with each other, this one confusion tinged with worry.

"Oh. I see," was Moira's stunned response.

"Mom, I know what you must be thinking," Oliver said. "And one has absolutely nothing to do with the other. Felicity and I love each other, and it just so happens Felicity is also pregnant."

"Felicity, will you excuse us, please?" Moira asked politely. "I'd like to have a word with my son in private."

"Sure, Mrs. Queen. I'll just go talk with Thea."

However, as she started wandering around the mansion, she realized she had no idea where Thea's room was. So, she walked back to the living room, where she'd left Oliver and his mother, stopping a few feet away from the door.

She didn't want to eavesdrop, but she had no choice but to wait for Oliver so she could accompany him to his sister's room. She overheard Oliver and Moira arguing, mostly about how she and Oliver didn't know each other well enough to get married, but there was something else as well, something about a pregnancy scare years ago.

 _Laurel was pregnant?!_ she thought. _Or at least thought she was?!_

Felicity was so shocked by this revelation that she didn't realize that Oliver was already beginning to storm out of the room. He breezed right past her, not even paying attention to his surroundings.

"Oliver!" she called out, hurrying to catch up to him on the stairs. He was only on the second step, but still.

"Felicity, what are you doing down here? I thought you went to talk with Thea." He wasn't upset, at least not with her. With her, he was simply confused.

"I was on my way, but then I realized I don't know where her room is." Indicating the living room, she added, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. It's just I was waiting for you, and — "

Relaxing a little, he replied, "Felicity, it's okay. I guess I should've realized you didn't know your way around."

"Oh, no worries. You were a bit...preoccupied."

They smiled at each other, before continuing up the stairs together.

Once they reached the top, Oliver awkwardly brought up the conversation with his mother.

"Felicity, I don't know how much you heard..." he began.

"If you're talking about the pregnancy scare your mom brought up, it's none of my business. It was long before we started dating. Besides, you and Laurel dated for so long, I shouldn't be surprised."

"That's just it. The scare wasn't with Laurel." He explained, "I'm not exactly proud of this, but while Laurel and I were dating, I cheated on her with another girl, Sandra, and I accidentally got her pregnant. Only, she lost the baby, and wound up moving back to Central City."

"Why are you telling me this?" Felicity asked. "You don't owe me an explanation."

Taking both her hands in his, he looked her right in the eyes and replied, "Because I don't want there to be any secrets between us. And because I want you to know that while I have cheated in the past, I would never cheat on you. I asked you to marry me because I love you, and I know that you're the one for me."

Glancing down at her belly, he added, "This baby, _our_ _baby_ , is just a bonus."

At Oliver's little speech, Felicity's eyes began to shine with tears.

"Aww, I love you too," she said. Then, wiping away the tears, she muttered, "Damn pregnancy hormones."

He smiled at that remark, before pulling her into an embrace, his head coming to rest on top of hers.

When they pulled apart, he asked, "So, are we okay?"

She teased, "We will be, just as soon as you give your pregnant girlfriend a kiss."

"Don't you mean 'fiancée'?" he reminded her with a smile.

"Right. That's gonna take some getting used to."

"Well, I'll gladly remind you as many times as necessary." They exchanged a brief but loving peck on the lips, before Oliver took her by the hand and said, "Come on, let's go see what's up with Speedy."

As they walked to Thea's room, Moira watched them from the bottom of the stairs, unseen. If Oliver could've seen his mother's face, he would've known his mother had changed her mind about them getting married, for it was very clear to the Queen matriarch that her son's love for Felicity was true and that it trumped the very short time they'd been dating.

She made a mental note to send flowers to Felicity, welcoming her to the family.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

"Thea, it's Ollie. Open the door."

The door muffled Thea's reply, "Not now, Ollie."

"Speedy, open the door!"

Finally, Thea obeyed, letting her brother and Felicity into the room.

"What's going on?" Oliver demanded.

"I didn't want Mom to see."

"See what?"

Before Thea could answer, Felicity asked, "What happened to him?"

On the bed was Thea's boyfriend Roy, an arrow sticking out of his knee and bloody towels scattered around him. Next to him was Sara's friend Sin, a bottle of vodka in her hands.

"The vigilante decided to use him as target practice," Thea explained. "You're right, Ollie, the guy's a psycho."

Felicity quickly shot Oliver a dirty look, the kind that told him that he was going to be getting an earful later, before she returned her attention to Roy.

She asked, "Why didn't you go to a hospital?"

He explained, "In this city, an arrow's the same as a bullet if you want the cops involved."

"And Mom actually likes Roy," Thea chimed in, taking a seat on Roy's other side, "but something tells me she'd revoke his tree-trimming invitation if she found out he was messing around with the Hood."

"Actually, I think he prefers to be called the Arrow now," Felicity corrected. "Not...that it matters right now."

Grabbing the alcohol from Sin and a clean towel, Oliver prepared to pull the arrow out.

"This is going to hurt," he warned.

"Hey, are you okay?" Thea asked, drawing everyone's attention to Felicity, who looked about to hurl. Indicating a door on the other side of the room, she informed her, "You can use my bathroom if you need to."

"No. No, I'm fine," she lied. "Thank you, though."

"Felicity, you don't have to be in the room for this," Oliver assured her.

"I'm fine," she repeated. "Really."

However, without thinking, Felicity held her left hand to her mouth, trying to get her gag reflex under control, and that's when Thea noticed the engagement ring.

She gasped, "Oh my god! You guys got engaged?! When did this happen?!"

"Just today," Felicity replied sheepishly. "We were actually coming to tell you guys."

Then, without warning, Oliver yanked the arrow out of Roy's knee, and the latter's anguished groans returned their attention to the matter at hand.

"Oh, god!" Felicity exclaimed, having to run to Thea's bathroom after all.

"What's wrong with her?" Sin asked, as retching sounds could be heard from behind the bathroom door.

While Oliver finished tending to Roy, Thea answered for him, having figured it out right then: "Oh my god. I'm gonna be an aunt, aren't I?"

Oliver said nothing, but instead, shot his sister a look as he got out his phone and started dialing, before moving to stand by the window for privacy.

It was all the confirmation Thea needed.

She smiled at the prospect of a little niece or nephew, but then, narrowed her eyes at her brother and asked, "Hey, that's not the reason you two are getting married, is it?"

"No! Of course not!" To the person on the other end of the phone, he added, "Sorry, Digg, Thea was asking me something."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

THE NEXT DAY...

After double-checking that she was alone in the Arrowcave, Felicity turned her attention to her computers, and sought out the information that had piqued her interest.

It was really just curiosity getting the better of her. She didn't think anything would come of it.

Boy, how wrong she could be.

As she stared at the screen, biting her lip, she wondered aloud, "How am I gonna tell Oliver?"

"Tell me what?" the man in question asked, startling her.

"Oliver!" She quickly covered her tracks, before spinning in her chair to face him. "You scared me."

"Sorry," he replied, smiling apologetically.

"I thought you were out patrolling," she remarked, feeling her heartbeat starting to return to normal.

"I was. I finished early. So, what'd you need to tell me?"

"Oh. Uh, nothing. Nothing important." She quickly corrected herself, "Well, it is important, but it's — "

"What is it? Is it the baby?" His brows furrowed in concern.

"It's funny you should mention that."

"Felicity, just tell me." He was starting to really get worried now.

Finally, Felicity relented, "Okay, but you're not going to like it."

She spun back around, and pulled up the information again. He came to stand beside her, the better to see the computer screen.

"How is that possible?" he asked, concern turning to shock and confusion. "She — she told me..."

"I know. But as near as I can figure, your mom paid her to go away; two million dollars, to be exact. I couldn't begin to guess why."

Suddenly, his jaw set in anger.

"I know why," he answered, his gaze seeing beyond the Arrowcave's four walls.

He then stomped off, quickly changing back into his civilian clothes as he explained, "She thought she was protecting me. I wasn't ready to be a dad back then. Still, to keep me away from my own kid, my own son, by making me think that..."

He couldn't finish that sentence.

Instead, he finished changing, and headed for the exit, Felicity quickly trailing after him.

"Wait! Oliver! Where are you going?"

"To have a little chat with my mother," he replied darkly.

"No, Oliver, wait!" She placed herself right in his path, and held out her hands to halt him. "Not saying that your mom doesn't deserve it, but do you really think that's such a good idea?"

"Yes," he answered, without hesitation.

"Well, I disagree. I mean, setting aside the fact that you're angry right now, and very understandably so, what will that accomplish?" She placed her hands on his arms in an effort to calm him. "She is still your mother, and the grandmother of your children. You even said yourself that she was just protecting you."

He huffed and looked away for a moment, as if reluctantly conceding that she had a point.

Sliding her hands down to hold both of his, she added, "I know that right now, you want to go yell at your mom or Sandra, or at least take it out on the bad guys. But I really think the best thing you can do is to go and meet your son."

He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes glistening with unexpressed emotion, then finally, he nodded his head in agreement.

"You're right," he said. "The important thing is I know about him now. And while I can't change the past, I can be part of his life now."

"Exactly." Felicity smiled at him optimistically.

Cupping her face with one hand and gazing into her eyes lovingly, he asked, "What would I do without you, Felicity?"

"Let's hope you never have to find out," she replied, before giving him a peck on the lips.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER: CENTRAL CITY

"Well, here we are," Felicity announced unnecessarily as Digg pulled up outside the townhouse of one Sandra Moonday Hawke. "Do you..want me to go in with you?"

"No," Oliver replied with a heavy sigh. "I think this is something I need to do myself."

"Okay. I understand." As Oliver got out of the car, she added, "Good luck!"

He turned back long enough to flash her a grateful smile, then continued on.

Felicity and Digg watched as Oliver marched up the steps and knocked on the door. A pretty brunette answered, seemingly surprised to see him but that was to be expected. The two talked for only a moment, then a little boy about six or seven appeared beside the brunette. He had dark hair like his mother, but otherwise was the spitting image of Oliver.

The kid looked over at Digg and Felicity, who smiled and waved, but the boy just returned his attention to the man standing on his front steps. Then, after another moment of talking, the three headed inside, presumably to continue their conversation in private.

That's when Digg turned to Felicity, who was still watching the door, and asked, "So, are you okay with all this?"

She tore her eyes away, and replied, "Yeah, I think so. I mean, what choice do I have?"

"I dunno. I mean, if the person I was engaged to turned out to have a kid they didn't know about..." He trailed off, shaking his head in uncertainty.

"Well, to be fair, Digg, it'd be hard for a woman not to know she had a kid running around out there."

"Point taken," he said, cracking a smile.

"At least one good thing has come out of this," Felicity told him, returning her gaze to Sandra Hawke's front door. "This baby will have a big brother. Someone to look after them, someone they can play with and talk to."

"Spoken like an only child," Digg opined. "In all seriousness, though, you're assuming this Sandra woman will even let Oliver be a part of his kid's life."

"And why wouldn't she?"

"I don't know. Maybe she figures it'll be too confusing for the kid to suddenly have his dad in his life. Or maybe he already has a father figure, and she doesn't want to complicate things. Either way, it's her prerogative, given Oliver's name is nowhere on that birth certificate."

"In other words, he has no legal claim to his own son." Even as she said it, Felicity knew Digg had a point. Still, she felt bad for Oliver, and hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

"Exactly."

Felicity looked down at her belly, and rubbed her hand over it. She vowed then and there that no matter what, she would never do that to Oliver, never keep him away from their child. She knew what it was like to be without a father, so the vow was also for her child's sake.

Suddenly, Digg's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, "Well, that was quicker than I thought."

She returned her attention once more to the front door, just in time to see Oliver coming out of it. Sandra stood in the doorway, sans the kid, and watched Oliver's retreating form. He and Sandra both wore unreadable expressions.

Quickly, Digg got out, and opened the door for Oliver. Afterwards, he nodded once at Sandra, addressing her as, "Ma'am," before getting back into the driver's seat.

Digg and Felicity exchanged a look in the rear-view mirror, then Felicity plastered on a hopeful smile and asked, "So, how did it go?"

"It actually went better than I thought," Oliver replied.

"How much better? Better how?"

"Well, it took some convincing, but Sandra has agreed to at least consider visitation."

"Well, that's good, isn't it?" Felicity pointed out, ever the optimist. "That's something, at least."

He couldn't help but return her smile. His fiancée's support in the matter really meant a lot to him.

That's when Digg chimed in, "I'm happy for you, Oliver, really. But I wouldn't get my hopes up."

"I know I can always count on you to be a ray of sunshine, Digg," was Oliver's dry reply.

"I don't mean to be a pessimist, but as I was just telling Felicity, you technically don't have any parental rights."

Felicity said nothing to that. Instead, she just looked sadly from Digg to Oliver.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER: CENTRAL CITY

Felicity exhaled weightily, steeling herself for what she was about to do.

"Here goes nothing," she told herself.

Then, she rapped on the front door, and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

The kid answered this time, a partially-eaten PB&J sandwich in one hand.

Felicity smiled and greeted, "Hello."

"Hi," the kid replied, not returning the smile. "I remember you from the other day."

Before Felicity could answer that she remembered him too, someone from inside asked, "Connor, sweetie, who's at the door?"

The pretty brunette appeared, and greeted Felicity, "Hi. Can I help you?"

"Hi. Sandra? You don't know me, but I'm Oliver Queen's fiancée." She even nervously flashed the ring.

Sandra, however, was unimpressed.

"That's...nice." To the boy, Connor, Sandra said, "Sweetie, why don't you go and finish your sandwich in the kitchen, and I'll be in there in a minute."

"Okay." He shrugged his shoulders, leaving the two grown-ups to talk.

"So, what can I do for you, Ms..?" queried the brunette.

"Oh. Smoak, but you can call me Felicity."

"Alright. Felicity. So, are you here to tell me to stay away from Oliver? Because let me assure you, I have no intention of trying to steal him away. He came to me."

"Oh, no, nothing like that. I actually came here to talk to you on Oliver's behalf. Not that he...knows that I'm here." She quickly shook her head, getting herself back on track. "Um, I realize you probably haven't had much time to think things over, but I really think you should give Oliver a chance to get to know his son."

"Oh? And why is that?" Sandra crossed her arms in front of her.

"Because he'd be the best father a kid could ask for. I mean, he might not be perfect, but he's not the same as the guy who got you pregnant. He's really changed for the better. I wouldn't be marrying him if I didn't think so." Then, placing both hands on her belly, she added, "Or having a baby with him."

At that pronouncement, Sandra arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Besides," Felicity continued, tears starting to sting her eyes, "I know what it's like to grow up without a father. It's like there's this...whole part of you that's missing, and you can't ever fill it because he's not there. Half of who you are is gone."

Sandra stood there a moment considering the blonde on her doorstep, before finally telling her coolly, "My heart goes out to you, Felicity, it really does. But with all due respect, Connor is my son. If I decide not to allow Oliver visitation, that's really none of your concern."

"But it is my concern," Felicity argued. "I don't mean to tell you what to do, but Oliver and I are going to be sharing a life together. And Oliver would be devastated if that life didn't include both his children."

Sandra countered, "But you and Oliver don't share a life now. Look, I'm not trying to be a bitch, but this is between Oliver and me. If he wants to plead his case, you can tell him to call me or come see me again himself. Until then, give him my regards."

With that, Sandra closed the door in Felicity's face.

As she headed back down the front steps to where her car was parked, Felicity thought miserably, _I think I just made things worse._


	11. The Appointment

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER: STARLING CITY

"Hi. Sorry I'm late," Felicity panted, bursting into Oliver's office where he and Digg stood waiting for her. "I, uh, had to run an errand."

"Actually, your timing couldn't be better," Oliver assured her, striding towards her. He greeted her with a kiss, before leading her back out of the office and towards the elevators. Digg was right behind them. "If we leave right now, we can just make it."

"And just where do you think you're going?" Isabel demanded from their right.

Oliver informed her, "Felicity has an appointment."

"What kind of an appointment?"

Right then, the elevator dinged, opening up its doors to receive its awaiting passengers.

"The kind that's none of your business," Oliver replied as the trio filed inside.

Felicity resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at the other female.

Though he and Felicity had never discussed it, they had silently agreed to keep the pregnancy under wraps. At least, until the first trimester had passed. This was to give them time to figure out how to spin it positively, as the company couldn't afford anymore bad press, and also so they wouldn't 'jinx' it, resulting in a miscarriage.

Isabel huffed in frustration, "So, this mysterious appointment of Felicity's takes all three of you?"

"Yep," Felicity answered, nodding.

"Pretty much," Digg added.

As soon as the doors had closed, Isabel's irked gaze happened to fall on Felicity's desk on the other side of the hallway. Glancing back at the elevator doors with a shady gleam to her eye, she marched right into Felicity's office like she owned it, and bent to Felicity's computer. After just a few keystrokes, she began smirking evilly.

"Perfect," she purred.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

"Ms. Smoak?" a young-looking nurse called cheerfully, poking her head into the waiting room.

The room itself was small and intimate, with the primary lighting being provided by a couple of track lights and a few expensive-looking lamps spread out amongst the room. A few low, brown tables were also scattered about, upon which were spread numerous issues of pregnancy and parenting magazines (plus, a few car ones for the guys).

"Yes?" Felicity perked up.

"Dr. Hamilton will see you now," the nurse announced in a high-pitched, girly voice. Then, as Felicity grabbed her purse and stood, the nurse looked between Oliver and Digg, and added, "Your baby's father is more than welcome to accompany you."

"Oh, I'm just the driver-slash-bodyguard," Digg informed her. Pointing at Oliver, who stood and absentmindedly fastened his jacket, he said, "He's the one you want."

"Alrighty," the nurse replied, turning her attention to the couple in front of her. "If you two will just follow me..."

They did as they were told, following her to an exam room in the back, while Digg stayed behind and continued working on a book of crossword puzzles he'd brought with him. After the nurse checked Felicity's weight and blood pressure, she left the expectant parents to wait in the exam room.

"The doctor will be right with you," she assured them, just as cheerfully as when she first greeted them.

Figuring the doctor would probably take a while, Felicity turned to her fiancé, and reluctantly admitted, "Oliver, I have a confession to make. Now, I don't want you to be upset, but I agree that there shouldn't be any secrets between us."

"Felicity, just tell me," he gently urged, smiling a crooked smile.

"That errand I had to run... It was in Central City."

"Oh." His smiled faded as realization struck. Softly, he added, "Felicity, you didn't."

"I know, I know. It's none of my business, but I — "

"Whatever gave you the idea that it's none of your business?" he cut in smoothly, confused.

"More of a 'who' than a 'what': Sandra."

"Felicity, I wish you'd have spoken to me first, but Connor's going to be your stepson someday. Our baby is going to be his little brother or sister. This is totally your business."

She informed him miserably, "That's the argument I tried to make, but I think I just made things worse."

"I'm sure that's not true. " He placed a hand over hers comfortingly.

He'd been about to say more, but then, a curvy brunette in a white lab coat entered with a clipboard.

"Hello," she said, greeting them with a friendly smile. "I'm Dr. Emily Hamilton. And you must be Felicity Smoak."

"So they tell me," Felicity joked.

"And I see you've brought your..." Dr. Hamilton trailed off, consulting her clipboard.

"Fiancé," they supplied simultaneously. They couldn't help but exchange smiles at that.

"Oliver Queen," he told her, shaking the doctor's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Queen, Ms. Smoak." Then, Dr. Hamilton consulted her clipboard again, adding, "I see here you've already had your pregnancy confirmed by another doctor?"

"Yes, by Dr. Williamson," Felicity replied. "Oliver insisted I see him after I'd fainted at work."

"My, aren't you two off to a good start," Dr. Hamilton opined, impressed. "Hubby already taking care of Wifey."

"I try," Oliver told her. He looked pointedly at Felicity. "Believe me, I try."

"So, would you two like to get a look at your baby?" Dr. Hamilton asked.

"Yeah," Oliver answered, while Felicity enthusiastically replied, "Oh, absolutely!"

"Okay, then. I'll just need you to lie back, Ms. Smoak, and pull down your skirt a little."

As Felicity did what Dr. Hamilton asked of her, the doctor wheeled an ultrasound machine over to them. Pouring some goop onto Felicity's exposed belly, she swished it around with the transducer, this thing that looked a little like a blade-less razor. Before long, an image of their baby appeared on the monitor.

"That's our baby?" Felicity asked, eyes glistening with tears.

"That's your baby," Dr. Hamilton confirmed. "Now, it's a bit too early to determine the sex, but you might be able to hear his or her heartbeat."

Dr. Hamilton reached over, and switched on the sound. The room went silent, save for the whooshing of the transducer and a sound that was music to their ears: their baby's heartbeat.

Felicity couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and when she looked over at Oliver, who'd been holding her hand throughout the ultrasound, she was touched to see tears starting to well up in his eyes too.

"Aww. Oliver."

Dr. Hamilton smiled at them indulgently for a moment, before informing them, "Well, mom and dad, sounds like this baby's got one of the strongest heartbeats I've ever heard. Seems to me, he or she is already quite the fighter."

 _Just like Oliver_ , Felicity thought proudly, smiling knowingly at him.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

"Don't worry, Oliver," Felicity teased as they stepped back out into the waiting room, a small sonogram picture held in both her hands, "I won't spread it around that you're a big ol' softie."

"Gee, thanks." He shot her a sarcastic smile that was still full of good humor.

Digg stood, cleared his throat, and asked, "So? Do we know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"Too soon to tell," Felicity informed him. Then, excitedly showing him the sonogram, she added, "But look. The baby's first photo."

"Awww," Digg opined with a smile.

However, when he tried to give it back to Felicity, she said, "Keep it. Oliver and I each have a copy, so it's only fair that you have one, too."

"Oh, thanks," he replied, placing it carefully in his book of crosswords and then stowing that away in his inside jacket pocket. "So, where to now, boss? Back to the office?"

Oliver nodded his head in confirmation.

When the trio tried to leave the building, however, they were ambushed by paparazzi. At least a dozen of them, most from trashy tabloids but a couple were legitimate reporters. Felicity even thought she recognized one from channel 52.

Well, so much for their unspoken plan.

"Mr. Queen," someone shouted, "is it true Ms. Smoak is carrying your love child?!"

Another one demanded, "Mr. Queen, is it true that you and Ms. Smoak were here visiting an OB/GYN?!"

Digg immediately sprang into action, assuring his boss, "I'll handle this, Oliver. You and Felicity head back inside, see if you guys can find another way out."

Oliver didn't need to be told twice. He ushered Felicity back into the building's lobby, while Digg stepped forward to do crowd-control.

"How'd they even know about the appointment?" Felicity wondered aloud.

"I don't know," Oliver replied, grabbing her hand and leading her to the rear part of the building. "Maybe Dr. Hamilton or one of the nurses leaked the information."

"I really don't think it was Dr. Hamilton. She seemed nice, trustworthy."

They quickly found a rear exit. As they pushed through to the other side, finding themselves in a back alley, a thought struck Felicity.

She gasped, "Wait! You don't think..."

"What?"

She didn't answer; instead, she got out her phone and used it to access her computer at work.

"What? Felicity, what is it?" Oliver demanded, starting to get worried.

"Someone went snooping through my computer at Queen Consolidated," she announced.

"How could that have happened? Don't you have firewalls upon firewalls?"

She confirmed, "I do have some security measures in place, but not nearly as much as the ones at the Foundry."

Locking eyes with him, she added meaningfully, "Oliver, whoever accessed my computer did so as we were on our way out."

"Isabel," they concluded simultaneously, Felicity's tone full of worry while Oliver's was full of fury.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ← 

When Oliver and Felicity got back to the office, which was no easy feat, Oliver found Isabel in a meeting.

She addressed the room at large, "Now, as you can see from the quarterly reports, Queen Consolidated is — "

"Isabel," he interrupted icily, glaring daggers at her. "Could I see you for a moment in private?"

"Oliver, I'm in the middle of something," she pointed out.

"Now, please." His tone allowed her no choice.

She excused herself, smiling politely at those assembled, and followed Oliver out. They stopped in the hallway in front of his and Felicity's offices.

"Care to explain yourself?" he demanded.

"Explain _myself_? You're the one that just pulled me out of a very important meeting!"

"I know it was you who went through Felicity's computer. You looked up Felicity's appointment, then sicced those reporters on us."

Rather than trying to deny it, Isabel just crossed her arms, smiled, and smugly replied, "You can't prove that it was me."

His voice took on a dangerous tone, letting her know she was on thin ice with him, "Not yet. But when I do, I — "

"Oliver," Felicity called out from his left. Casting a pointed glance at Isabel, she said, "I really hate to interrupt, but Thea says there's something we both really need to see."

"Can't it wait?"

"Not according to Thea."

Sighing with exasperation, Oliver turned back to Isabel, and warned, "This conversation isn't over."

Unconcerned, she replied, "You know where to find me."

Then, as Isabel headed back to the meeting, Felicity shared her tablet with Oliver, explaining, "Your sister sent me this link."

Turns out, the link directed them to an article announcing both the pregnancy and their engagement.

"Well, that didn't take long," Felicity remarked, surprised to see an accompanying photo of them and Digg that had been taken less than an hour ago outside Dr. Hamilton's building. In it, Felicity's left hand was circled, drawing attention to the engagement ring, which itself had been enlarged for readers.

"Yeah, the press are vultures like that," Oliver opined from over her shoulder. "Especially in this day and age where they can be scooped by anyone with a blog."

After quickly skimming over the article, Felicity sarcastically marveled, "Wow, it seems I've been downgraded from a bimbo who climbed the corporate ladder on her back to a gold-digger who got pregnant on purpose. Oh, and according to this article, the baby may not even be yours."

He pointed out, "Well, anyone that matters to us knows that neither of those things are true."

"I know," she replied, facing him. "It's not that that I'm worried about. It's just, I don't want public opinion of me or our relationship to negatively impact you or this company."

Placing a hand on either of her upper arms, he assured her, "Hey. I love you, and I don't care what anyone else has to say about that. As for this company, I sinceriously — I mean, seriously — doubt that public opinion of you or us is going to bring it down."

He'd been about to say more, when they were suddenly surrounded on both sides by people filing out of the conference room. He quickly dropped his hands to his sides, he and Felicity adopting a professional, if awkward, demeanor towards each other. Finally, Isabel was the last one out. She shot them an unreadable look as she passed, one Oliver didn't like in the least bit.

Then, trying to ignore her, he continued, "If it worries you that much, we can schedule a meeting with the P.R. department. They'll issue a statement on our behalf, and then this will all blow over."

"You really think so?" she asked. "I mean, it can't be that easy."

"It usually is," he confirmed. "Trust me, my family and I have had enough dealings with the press to last us five lifetimes."

She smiled wryly, "Yeah, I guess this is one time I'll have to defer to your expertise, instead of the other way around."

"Yeah," he replied quietly, leaning his forehead against hers in a gesture of intimate affection. While his hands rested on the back of her neck, her free hand came up to affectionately hold one of his wrists.

They stayed like that a moment, before finally, Felicity said softly, "So, yeah, I'll just...go and schedule that meeting."

Reluctantly, she pulled away and headed back to her desk, though halfway there, she stopped to add, "I think I'll update my firewalls while I'm at it."

"Might be a good idea," Oliver agreed, disappearing into his office.

TO BE CONTINUED...


	12. Mad About PR

THE VERY NEXT DAY...

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Mrs. Buchman," Felicity told the head of the P.R. department as the two shook hands, Mrs. Buchman having already shaken Oliver's hand.

"We always make time for the CEO and his E.A., Ms. Smoak," she replied politely. "And please, call me Jamie."

"In that case, call me Felicity."

"Alright. Felicity."

Jamie looked over at Oliver expectantly. He insisted, "Call me Mr. Queen."

"Ah. Let's get down to business then, Mr. Queen."

All three had a seat at Oliver's conference table, Oliver sitting at one end and Jamie at the other. Felicity sat on Oliver's right, while the rest of the seats were filled up by Jamie's colleagues.

She began, "Now, as I understand it, Mr. Queen, you and Felicity are recently engaged, and expecting a child together. Is that right?"

"That's correct," Oliver replied.

"And you two have been dating for...a year-and-a-half now?"

"More like seven weeks," he admitted. Sparing a loving gaze at Felicity, he added, "But I've known much longer than that that I couldn't live without her."

Felicity smiled at the sentiment, her eyes starting to glisten. However, the moment was somewhat ruined by Jamie.

"Good, that's good. I can use that," she said, jotting something down on a yellow notepad she'd brought with her. "It's good you two are already engaged, Mr. Queen, as it shows you're serious about Felicity and this baby. However, it doesn't reflect well on you, Felicity. No doubt that by now you've seen the scathing articles, the ones calling you a gold-digger, and worse."

"Yes. Yes, I have," Felicity quietly replied.

"Which is exactly why we're here. We've got to spin it in such a way as to make people think it's a fairytale come true. We have to portray you two as America's answer to Prince William and Kate Middleton."

One man nervously interjected, "That's a bit presumptuous, isn't it? I mean, William and Kate are actual royalty."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Oliver asked the gentleman, furrowing his brows a little in confusion.

"Artie Bradford, Your Majes— Uh, I mean, Mr. Queen. Vice President of the P.R. department." A couple of Artie's coworkers stifled snickers at his little slip-up. Albeit reluctantly, Artie continued, "With all due respect, Mr. Queen, my recommendation is that you...fire Ms. Smoak; that way, no one will be able to accuse of you favoritism."

Oliver now bore daggers into Artie, as he replied, "Well, Mr. Bradford, with all due respect, that is not going to happen. I need Felicity by my side, both personally and professionally."

Jamie chimed in, "Your suggestion makes no sense, Artie. It could be construed as Mr. Queen abandoning Felicity in her 'time of need.' It would only make things worse."

The longer the conversation went on, the more anxious Artie got. He began stuttering while trying to defend his words, "You misunderstand me, Mr. Queen. I'm not saying you should cut off all contact with Ms. Smoak and the baby. I'm merely suggesting you terminate your working relationship with her so you two can live happily ever after without a cloud hanging over your relationship. Or, perhaps Ms. Smoak can resign of her own accord."

Oliver was liking Artie less and less. He reiterated, "As I said, Mr. Bradford, that is not going to happen. If I thought Felicity would be happy being a stay-at-home mother, I would gladly accept her resignation. But I know she wants so much more out of life than that. She wants to help people, and have accomplishments of her own beyond being a wife and mother. That passion, that drive, is one of the reasons I love her so much. If you have a problem with that, you are more than welcome to tender your own resignation."

By the end of his speech, Felicity and the few other females in the room were regarding Oliver with open admiration.

"Score one for women's rights," she muttered, making him smile a little.

Though she too was smiling, Jamie cleared her throat and said, "Let's...get this meeting back on track, shall we?"

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

Once the meeting was over, Artie approached Oliver and Felicity.

"Mr. Queen, Ms. Smoak, I am so, so sorry. Truly. I didn't mean anything by what I said. I didn't even mean _what_ I said. It's just..."

He looked around nervously as his colleagues headed for the door on the other side of the room.

Felicity gently prompted him, "Yes, Mr. Bradford? What is it?"

"Sorry. I've said too much already," he declared, then dashed off like a scared rabbit. Oliver and Felicity made no move to stop him.

"But you haven't even said anything," Felicity called after him. To Oliver, she asked, "What do you suppose that was all about?"

"I don't know," Oliver replied grimly, "but it almost sounds like he's being blackmailed."

"Blackmailed? What makes you say that?"

"He seemed like he wanted to tell us something, but is afraid of what would happen."

"Well, if that's true, who do you think is behind it?"

Holding the door to his office open for Felicity and then stepping in after her, he said darkly, "I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I have a pretty good guess."

He then took a seat at his desk, while Felicity perched actually on it.

"Well?" she asked expectantly. "Are you going to tell me, or do I have to start guessing?"

"Isabel," he announced unceremoniously. "It can only be Isabel. Who else would want you fired badly enough to — "

He was interrupted by the landline in his office ringing. He growled in annoyance.

Felicity answered it automatically, "Queen Consolidated, Oliver Queen's office. Yes, and who may I ask is calling? O- Oh. J-just a moment, please."

Once she'd heard the name on the other end, Felicity had gone pale.

"Who is it?" he whispered, his eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"It's Sandra," she whispered back, covering the transmitter with her hand.

"Sandra?" His eyes went wide in surprise. He didn't expect to hear from her so soon.

Felicity handed him the phone, but no sooner did he say hello than she received a call of her own. She quickly left the room to answer her cell.

"Mom?!" Felicity answered, surprised to see her mother's picture pop up on her caller ID.

"Hello, sweetheart," Donna Smoak cheerfully greeted her only child.

_Well, this day is just full of surprises!_ Felicity thought to herself.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

_*Oliver's POV*_

"I'm sorry to call you at work, Oliver," Sandra began. "But I thought you'd like to know that I've thought about what you said, and I've come to a decision."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

_*Felicity's_ _POV*_

"Mom, I'm at work right now, so if I could just — "

"So, is it true?" Donna interrupted, barely able to contain her excitement.

"Is what true?"

"Are you really pregnant?"

"Mom, about that. I was going to tell you, but Oliver and I just got so busy with work and...other things, that — "

"Oh, honey, I understand completely. You have a wedding to plan, and you two have probably been busy _rehearsing for the wedding night_..."

"Mom!" Felicity could actually feel her cheeks flush in embarrassment.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

_*Oliver's POV*_

Sandra explained, "Now, as you're probably aware, there's been a media circus lately surrounding you and that woman, Felicity. As you can imagine, I don't want my son — "

" _Our_ son," Oliver gently corrected.

"Right. Our son," Sandra reluctantly conceded. "I don't want _our_ son caught up in the middle of all that. I don't want him growing up in the public eye, being known only as your lovechild. He'd never have any privacy, and he'd be an easy target for playground bullies."

Oliver was about to say something to all of that, when Sandra continued, " _However_ , I've thought a lot about what Felicity said, about growing up without a father. Bottom line, I just want what's best for Connor."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

_*Felicity's POV*_

"Still," Donna continued, heedless of her daughter's embarrassment, "it would've been nice to have found out from you and not some tabloid."

_And there it is!_ Felicity thought, letting her head roll back in exasperation. _The secret weapon of Jewish mothers everywhere: the guilt trip._

"Mom," Felicity groaned.

"Oh, honey, I can't wait to be a grandmother! And I can't wait to meet Oliver in a couple of weeks."

"A couple of weeks?" Felicity's face now registered both confusion and dread.

"Yeah, it's the soonest I can get off work. I've already booked the flight and everything."

"Mom, that's — "

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie, but I've gotta go. My break's almost over. But I love you, and I'll see you in two weeks!"

"Love you too," Felicity replied quietly.

With that, Donna hung up, leaving Felicity to return to Oliver's office in a daze.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

_*Oliver's POV*_

"So, what are you saying?" Oliver asked, not daring to get his hopes up.

He looked up briefly when he noticed Felicity come in, but then returned his attention to his conversation with Sandra.

With a heavy sigh, as if she still wasn't sure she was making the right decision, Sandra replied, "What I'm saying is...I'll allow visitation. _But_ I have a few conditions. If you're not too busy, we can meet this weekend to discuss them."

"I'd like that." Oliver could barely contain his smile.

"You can even bring Felicity, if you want," she conceded, albeit reluctantly.

"I'd like that, too." When she told him when and where they could meet, he replied, "Okay, Felicity and I will see you there."

With that, he hung up, still smiling, and told Felicity the good news.

"Wh— That's great!" she said, stunned at first but ultimately happy for him. Then, remembering her conversation with her mother, she added, "I actually have some news of my own, and I guess it depends on how you look at it that determines whether it's good or bad. Personally, I choose bad."

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

EPILOGUE: TWO DAYS LATER

"Mr. Oliver, Ms. Felicity, the paper's here," Raisa announced, while the two were having breakfast in the kitchen, Felicity having slept over the night before.

Raisa handed Oliver the paper, and he thanked her in Russian, before exchanging an anxious glance with Felicity. He then unfolded it, opening it up to the society pages. There, big as life, was a photo of the two of them, his arms wrapped around her waist from behind, both of them smiling as they leaned their heads intimately toward each other. It had been taken in Oliver's office the day before, on Jamie's suggestion.

"Wow, that turned out really well," Felicity opined, coming around to read the accompanying article over Oliver's shoulder:

_Starling City's very own Oliver Queen is announcing his engagement to his executive assistant, Felicity Smoak of Las Vegas, Nevada. Although their engagement has been a matter of some speculation as of late, they've distributed a press release formally announcing their intent to wed._

_Also a matter of speculation lately has been the couple's status as prospective parents, which the press release has indeed confirmed. However, Queen Consolidated's PR department is quick to point out that while Oliver and Felicity — dubbed Olicity by various tabloids — are excited to be parents, the bun in Felicity's oven is not the sole reason these two have decided to tie the knot. According to the press release, the ring pre-dates Ms. Smoak's pronouncement that she's expecting._

_Though they've only been dating for a mere seven weeks, which is much shorter than anyone thought, Oliver explains, "I've known much longer than that that I couldn't live without her."_

The article then went on to detail Oliver and Felicity's respective backgrounds, both personal and educational. Thankfully, the press release had downplayed Felicity's upbringing as the daughter of a cocktail waitress and a deadbeat dad, though they couldn't stop the paper from reminding everyone that Moira Queen had recently been put on trial for the deaths of 503 people, never mind the fact that she'd been acquitted.

"So, do you think that'll get people off our backs?" Felicity asked, returning to her seat after finishing the article.

"Do you want an honest answer, or would you rather I lie?" Oliver countered.

She retorted, "Honesty is always the best policy. Besides, we all know how much you suck at lying."

He shot her an unamused look, before replying, "Just for that, I'm not going to give you your surprise."

"Surprise? What surprise?" She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "I hate surprises."

In response, he handed her the front page of the paper.

"Gee, you shouldn't have," she told him sarcastically. Then, looking at it, she noticed Isabel's snooty mug glaring back at her from the top of the fold. She didn't need to read the article that went with it, because the headline proclaimed that one Isabel Rochev had been ousted from Queen Consolidated.

At that news, Felicity's features went wide in shock. When she dared to glance up at Oliver, he beamed at her, and said, "Surprise."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	13. Mothers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I know I didn't specify how Isabel was ousted from the company, but in case anyone was wondering, Oliver had her brought up on charges of blackmail (though who knows if those will stick? ;) )

TWO WEEKS LATER...

"There she is!" Felicity exclaimed, spotting her mother through the crowded airport.

Apparently, Donna Smoak had spotted her daughter as well, because she started squealing in delight and hurried with her luggage towards Felicity, Oliver, and Diggle. Also with them was Connor, who stood directly in front of his father, Oliver's his hands on Connor's shoulders. Regarding Donna, Connor looked up at his father in confusion, but Oliver just shrugged and shook his head, as if to say, 'Yeah, just go with it.'

" _That's_ your mother?" Digg asked in disbelief. The woman who had given birth to Felicity was totally not what he was expecting. Donna wore a snug blue dress, her abundant (and probably fake) boobs bouncing furiously as she sped towards them in heels the same shade as the dress.

"Yep," Felicity replied, already dreading the introductions.

"Sure you're not adopted?"

"Oh, my beautiful girl!" Donna greeted excitedly, pulling her only child into a tight embrace.

"Hey, Mom," Felicity replied, not even bothering to match her mother's enthusiasm.

Finally, Donna pulled away, and looked her up and down, "Sweetheart, you're positively glowing."

"Thanks, Mom." She managed a small smile. Indicating Oliver, she said, "This is Oliver, my fiancé. Which you knew already, 'cause you read about our engagement in some tabloid rag, because I didn't get a chance to tell you myself. Which, again, I'm sorry about, but I — "

"Felicity," Oliver cut in smoothly, stopping her babbling before she really got going.

"Thank you."

"I see she still does that," Donna remarked to Oliver and Digg, smiling knowingly.

"Oh, yeah," Digg interjected. "Big time."

"Oh. Sorry," Felicity said. "Mom, this is John Diggle. He's a friend of ours who just so happens to also be Oliver's driver."

Handshakes and pleasantries were exchanged all around. Then, turning her attention to the little boy standing in front of Oliver, she asked, "And who is this handsome young man?"

Oliver informed her, trying to keep the awkwardness to a minimum, "This is Connor...my son."

"But I thought — " Donna began, confused, but Felicity quickly shook her head, silently pleading with her mother to drop it. Thankfully, she did, her smile returning as she went to shake Conner's hand as well, "Well, it's very nice to meet you, Connor."

"It's nice to meet you, too," he politely replied.

"Aww, so well-mannered," she told Oliver, impressed.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

THAT NIGHT: FELICITY'S APARTMENT

"So, honey, tell me everything," Donna said as she and Felicity sat in their pj's, eating pints of ice cream straight from the cartons and watching the latest Chris Hemsworth flick. "What's Oliver really like? Is he good to you? Is he excited to be a daddy again? And what's up with that kid of his, Connor? How come I've never heard a thing about him until now?"

"Geez, Mom, one thing at a time," Felicity replied goodnaturedly. "Now I see where I get the babbling from."

They both shared a laugh at that, before Felicity sobered and began explaining the situation between Oliver, Sandra, and Connor.

When she was through, Donna opined, "Aww, poor Oliver, not knowing he had a kid out there somewhere. And that poor Connor, never ever knowing his daddy."

"Yeah," Felicity agreed sadly.

"I tell you what, I may not win any Mother of the Year awards, but I never kept you from your father. That bastard walked out on us."

"Mom, could we not..?" Felicity felt tears starting to bubble up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie. You're right, let's talk about something else." Suddenly perking up, she briefly yet gently placed a hand on her daughter's abdomen, adding, "Like, my unborn grandbaby! Do you know what you're having?"

"No, not yet," Felicity replied, "but we should find out in a couple of months. At least, that's what all the baby books say."

"Well, that should be exciting. Now, about the wedding — "

Suddenly, Felicity's cell phone interrupted whatever her mother had been about to say.

 _Saved by the bell!_ she thought with relief. Who knows what kind of suggestions Donna would've had for the wedding?

Oliver's picture popped up on Felicity's caller ID, a picture she had taken at the office in a rare moment when she'd gotten him to smile, really genuinely smile.

"Hello?"

"Felicity?" Oliver greeted her, sounding a bit anxious. "I hate to cut into your time with your mom, but something's come up... _at the office_."

She got the sense that he wasn't alone and therefore couldn't speak freely.

"Oh, the office," she echoed, catching his meaning. She glanced over at her mother, who was watching her curiously, before returning her attention to the conversation at hand. "I understand. Just let me get changed, and I'll meet you there."

He reluctantly added, "There's, uh, something else. I still haven't found a nanny for Connor, and Thea's working tonight so I can't ask her to babysit. And my mom's got some charity function, so I can't ask her either."

"Well, what about Roy?" Her eyes actually squinted shut as she quickly remembered that he'd recently been dosed with rage-inducing Mirakuru. "Sorry, stupid question."

"I was actually kind of hoping your mom could watch him for a couple of hours."

"Oh." Her gaze flicked over to her mother again, before informing Oliver, "Uh, I'd have to ask her, but I'm pretty sure she'd be more than happy to do it. She loves kids."

"Great." He breathed a sigh of relief.

"God help me," she quietly added.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

After she and Donna had changed out of their pj's, Felicity drove them over to the Queen mansion.

"I'm really sorry about this, Mom. Really."

Donna assured her daughter knowingly, "Oh, honey, you don't have to apologize. Just like you and Oliver don't have to make up excuses. If you two wanted to be alone, all you had to do was ask."

Rather than correct her, Felicity decided to just go with it, "Right. Nothing gets past you."

"Besides," Donna added, "Connor is going to be my grandson soon so I might as well try to get to know him."

Felicity conceded her mother's point with a tilt of her head, and soon, they were pulling into the mansion's enormous driveway.

Oliver answered the door, Connor in tow.

"Hello again, Connor," Donna greeted cheerfully.

"Hello," he replied politely, still not sure what to make of Mrs. Smoak.

Oliver, meanwhile, greeted his fiancée with a kiss, then asked, "So, ready to go?"

"Yeah. Wanna take your car or mine?"

"Actually, I was thinking we could take my bike. It'd be faster."

Donna chimed in with her two cents, "Ooh, you have a motorcycle? That sounds so exciting!"

Felicity, though, wasn't so sure about that, "Your — your bike? You sure that that's safe?"

"I'm positive. I've ridden it hundreds of times. Besides, do you really think I'd risk your safety and that of our baby?"

"No, but — "

"Good, then it's settled." With that, he said goodbye to Connor, instructing him to behave for Felicity's mother.

"Stay safe, you two!" Donna called out to them, as Oliver led Felicity outside to where his bike was parked.

He even produced a pink helmet for her to wear. She was about to admonish him for being so sexist, but then remembered that she actually did like pink. So, after strapping it on, she hiked up her dress a little, totally missing the arched eyebrow of amusement and arousal he was giving her, and climbed on behind him. He then slipped on his own helmet, started up the bike, and took off, Felicity clinging to him for dear life.

As they drove to the Arrowcave, Felicity refused to loosen her grip, so he spared a moment to grasp her hand reassuringly, a smile spreading at how ridiculous she was being. Ridiculous or not, though, he was also smiling because it felt good to protect her and their unborn child, to feel confident that nothing bad could ever happen to them so long as he was around.

It was a feeling he could get used to.

Of course, he wouldn't be able to in his line of work, but he enjoyed it nonetheless.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

When they returned about four hours later, they found Donna and Connor on the couch, Connor asleep in Donna's lap.

"Hey," she whispered as they approached. "How did things go at 'the office'?"

"Uh, fine," Felicity answered, also whispering.

Oliver quickly yet quietly changed the subject, "How was Connor? I hope he wasn't too much trouble."

"No, no trouble at all," Donna assured him. "In fact, he was a perfect little angel."

"Good. Thank you for watching him."

"Oh, anytime."

Then, gently picking up his son, Oliver carried Connor upstairs, careful not to wake him. When he came back down, he found Felicity and Donna standing at the door. He thanked Donna again for babysitting, his voice returning to a more normal volume.

"Sorry it took so long," he added, "but it seemed like one crises after another kept popping up."

Felicity nervously amended, "He means business crises. Obviously. Because what other crises could a billionaire CEO have?"

"Oh, sure, I understand." Donna flashed her daughter a quick but knowing wink.

"Ew, Mom."

Amused, Oliver offered to walk Felicity and her mother out to Felicity's car. As Donna preceded them, Oliver stopped Felicity for a moment to ask, "What...exactly does your mother think we were doing?"

"Better that you don't know," she replied.

"Ah." Just as quickly as he brought it up, he dropped it, having a pretty good guess as to what she meant.

Outside, Oliver held the passenger-side door open for Felicity's mother, then went around to see about Felicity, who was already in the car and fastening her seatbelt.

Leaning on the car door, he assured her, "You know, if you want, you can sleep in a little this morning. It's not like you're going to get fired for being late."

"I'll just let you be late enough for the both of us," she teased, referring of course to his chronic tardiness. "Besides, you'd be absolutely lost without me."

"Isn't that the truth," he agreed. Then, he leaned in and gave her a brief peck on the lips, which she gladly reciprocated, forgetting for a moment that her mother was there next to her.

"Aww, you two are so adorable," Donna opined.

Oliver just smiled at that, while Felicity's cheeks burned scarlet.

"Well, drive safe," he told the mother of his unborn child.

"Always," she assured him, smiling.

With that, she backed out of the driveway, and headed back to her apartment.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

The next morning, Felicity arrived at work before Oliver, as per usual.

When he did arrive, the first thing he said was, "Hey, Felicity. Think we could talk in my office real quick?"

"Um, sure." She got up and followed him, confused as to what he wanted to talk with her about this early in the morning.

After he situated himself at his desk and Felicity took a seat across from him, he began, "I thought you and your mom might like to know that Connor had nothing but good things to say about her this morning."

"I'm not surprised. Mom couldn't stop gushing about how adorable he is and what a sweetheart he was."

"Which is why I was thinking of asking her to be Connor's nanny."

Felicity sat there stunned a moment, before asking, "I'm..sorry, come again?"

"They seem to get along great, and I'd much rather leave Connor in Donna's hands than that of a stranger. I know you have your issues with your mom, issues you won't tell me about, but Felicity, she's still your mom."

"I don't have issues with her. She has issues with me: her daughter, the perpetual disappointment."

"I'm sure that's not true."

"It's completely true. She — "

"Felicity, your mom loves you. I haven't spent much time around her, but even I could see how much she cares about you. She just wants you to be happy."

Felicity gave him a look that spoke volumes, a look that said, 'You're one to talk.'

To that, he retorted, "We're not talking about my mom, we're talking about yours."

Clearly, he still hadn't fully forgiven Moira for keeping his son from him.

Not that Felicity blamed him.

Oliver continued, "So, will you at least think about what I said?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. That's all that I ask."

"I don't know, you're kinda asking a lot," she muttered.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

When Oliver returned home that evening, he was greeted at the door by Conner and Raisa.

After hugging his son hello, he asked him, "Have you been a good boy for Raisa? You haven't been driving her too crazy?"

Beaming, Raisa assured him, "He was on his best behavior, Mr. Oliver. A perfect angel."

"Good, that's good." He smiled at the compliment, proud of how awesome his son was (even if he'd had nothing to do with it up to that point).

However, his smile waned when Moira's voice came filtering in from the living room, "Oliver, sweetheart, is that you?"

He sighed heavily, steeling himself for what was to come, before replying, "Yes, Mom."

Then, taking Conner's hand in his, Oliver followed the sound of his mother's voice, while Raisa headed for the kitchen.

"I'm glad you're home," she said from her spot on the loveseat. "Now, I know we haven't had the greatest luck with parties lately, but I'd like to throw one for you and Felicity to celebrate your engagement."

He shook his head, "That's not necessary, Mom."

"I know it's not necessary; I want to, though. I want you to know I fully support your relationship with Ms. Smoak, and one of the best ways I know how to do that is to throw a party. So, please, dear, let me do this for you and Felicity."

Reluctantly, he relented, "Alright. Let me discuss it with Felicity, and we'll let you know something soon."

"Ah. Wonderful." Judging by her upbeat tone, Moira anticipated a positive response later on. "Now, Conner, why don't you come over here and sit by your grandmother?"

She patted the seat next to her.

Conner looked to Oliver for approval, before doing as Moira had asked.

She then inquired, "So, has your father found you a suitable nanny yet? If not, I have the perfect one in mind."

Oliver interjected, "Actually, Mom, I did find someone. Assuming Felicity agrees, of course."

"Oh? And who, may I ask, will be looking after my grandchildren?"

"Felicity's mom, Donna."

"Felicity's mother?" she echoed. "Well, what are her qualifications?"

"She and Connor seem to get along great," he pointed out. "What else is there?"

"For starters, is she certified in CPR? Does she know basic first aid? Sweetheart, I don't want to tell you how to do your job as a parent, but these are things you need to take into consideration when hiring a nanny."

If it was possible, Oliver grew even more frustrated with his mother and her habit of sticking her nose in where it didn't belong. He bowed his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Thankfully, Connor came up with a pretty decent argument, "But Grandmother, isn't Mrs. Smoak going to be my grandma too? Why can't she be my nanny? Don't I need to get know her too?"

Just when Oliver thought he couldn't be any prouder of his son!

Oliver beamed, while Moira was struck speechless, unable to argue with that logic.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

Felicity, meanwhile, returned to her apartment, shrugging off her coat and purse as she called out for her mother.

"Mom? You home?" she asked, setting the items on the kitchen bar.

"In here, sweetie," Donna replied cheerfully from the depths of Felicity's room. When she emerged moments later, she greeted her daughter with a quick peck on each cheek. "So, how was your day?"

"It was fine. Mom, what were you doing — "

"Oh, I was just reorganizing your closet. Your wardrobe is now color-coordinated, and divided by professional wear, casual wear, and evening wear." She added with a wink, "Plus, I took the liberty of reorganizing your lingerie drawer. You never know when Oliver might decide to spend the night."

 _I didn't ask you to do any of that_ , was Felicity's first annoyed thought. Then, realizing her mother had meant well and that there were more pressing matters at hand, she let it slide.

"Mom, could you sit down, please? We need to talk."

"Oh, sure, sweetie." Once they had both situated themselves on the couch, Donna asked, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Apparently, Connor gave you a glowing review. So much so, in fact, that Oliver would like to hire you as his nanny." She quickly added, "But if you don't want to uproot your whole life in Vegas and move here, Oliver and I would totally and completely understand. We just — "

Beaming, Donna interrupted, "No, no, that sounds awesome! I could be closer to you and Oliver, and my grandbaby. Well, grand _babies_. And I certainly wouldn't have to worry about skeevy guys hitting on me and smacking my ass as I walk by."

"Okay." That didn't go quite as Felicity had hoped. So, instead, she changed tactics. "Mom, what about your friends? You and Mitzy Feldman used to go clubbing all the time, and I don't know, maybe you still do. Won't you miss her? And what about the rest of your life in Vegas, our family and — "

"Of course I'll miss them, but this is a wonderful opportunity." After a beat, Donna asked, "Sweetheart, what's wrong? I get the feeling that you don't want me moving here."

"It's not that, Mom. It's just that..." In a rare moment, Felicity was silent as she searched for the right words.

"What? What is it, Felicity? Are you embarrassed by me?"

"No, Mom. God, no!"

"Well, then, what is it?"

Realizing it was no use trying to lie to her mom, she reluctantly admitted, "I just...I just couldn't take constantly hearing what a disappointment I am to you."

She bowed her head, trying to hold back the tears.

Donna reassured her, "Aww, Felicity, you're not a disappointment."

"Yes, I am. All we ever talk about is my love life or how much cleavage I don't show. In fact, if not for Oliver and this baby, I'd be hearing how terminally single I am, and how I need to be more like you and dress like a porn star. Which, yes, I realize is a compliment to you. So, yes, I am a disappointment to you. And I'm so sorry for being this way, but this is who I am!"

By the end of Felicity's little tirade, the tears she'd fought back finally broke through of their own volition.

As Felicity got up to retrieve a tissue from her purse, Donna sadly pointed out, "I'm not as smart as you or your father, Felicity."

Caught off-guard by her mother's admission, Felicity stopped in the middle of dabbing her eyes to look at her.

"I know that, Mom," she replied quietly, before resuming what she was doing.

Donna continued, "Even when you were six years old, I could barely keep up with you two. And, maybe I wasn't always the mother you wanted, but I was always there. I stayed, and I tried. He — he left me. He left us." Donna then stood and faced her daughter, adding, "But when I look at you, all I see is what he gave you. There's nothing of me in you. You know, it's so funny, I was...I was always afraid that one day, you were going to leave me too. But now I finally realize: you already did."

Now that Donna was in tears as well, Felicity's own tears began anew.

Shaking her head slightly, she assured her mother, "I'm right here, Mom. I haven't gone anywhere. I'm not _going_ anywhere. And we have plenty of things in common. I mean, we both have blond hair."

"You dye it," Donna countered. "But nice try."

"Right." After a moment, Felicity's words started to regain confidence, "Okay, so we're different. It's always going to be that way, and it's not always going to be easy, but like it or not, I'm your daughter. You're my mom. I love you."

"I love you too, baby," Donna replied.

With that, they closed the distance between them, hugging it out as only mothers and daughters can.

Through the tears, Felicity said, "Mom, if you wanna, if you wanna take this job and move here, I would totally love that. In fact, it'd be nice to have my mom here while I'm going through all of this, because I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing."

"Honey, you've always been such a terrible liar."

"Something we have in common," Felicity joked.

Donna laughed a little at that, before insisting, "Felicity, you don't need me. You never have."

"Yes, I do. I mean, I can read all the baby books I can get my hands on, but from what I hear, being a parent is all on-the-job training. I'm going to need someone with experience to share their wisdom with me."

"Well, the difference is, I went through most of it alone. You've got Oliver to help you out."

"And I'm grateful, but it's still no substitute for someone who's been there. Let's face it, I need my mommy."

"Well, then, I'm here for you, baby girl."

"Good."

They then hugged it out some more, now in a much better place in their relationship. There was still a ways to go, but it was a start.

Unfortunately, after a while, a queasiness overtook Felicity's stomach, cutting the moment short.

"Oh, god!" she exclaimed, suddenly turning and running for the bathroom.

"Yep, been there," Donna said knowingly, before following after her daughter.

→ → → → → ♥ ← ← ← ← ←

THE VERY NEXT NIGHT: QUEEN MANSION (EPILOGUE OF SORTS)

"To Oliver and Felicity," Moira proclaimed, raising her glass in toast to the happy couple. "Or, as the tabloids seem to have dubbed them, Olicity."

With that last part, she winked at her son, enjoying being able to tease him. He simply smiled, one of the few genuine ones he could muster around her nowadays.

"To Olicity!" the ballroom's occupants echoed, among them Donna, Digg, Lyla, Thea, Roy, Laurel, and even Sandra. Laurel's toast, though, was tinged with sadness and just a hint of jealousy.

As Laurel then downed her entire glass of champagne and snagged another off of a passing waiter, Connor, looking dapper in a miniature suit and holding a glass of water, added, "To Daddy and Felicity."

"Aww," several people opined.

Oliver beamed at his son, before turning to smile at his bride-to-be, enjoying one of the happiest moments of his life. Then, he and Felicity clinked glasses, hers consisting of sparkling cider, and sipped in celebration.

"No, that's not how you do it!" Donna insisted jovially.

"Yeah," Digg agreed, "you gotta link arms."

"Yes, exactly," Lyla chimed in.

"I thought that was for when you get married," Thea pointed out, confused.

Roy was next to speak up, "I guess, technically, there's no rule about saving it for the wedding. Much like other things nowadays."

"Roy!" Thea chided, smacking him lightly on the arm.

"What? I'm just saying."

"Yeah, so, link arms, you two," Donna instructed, getting the conversation back on track.

After some more prodding from their loved ones, they did as requested, with slightly comedic results: Oliver had to bend to reach his champagne while Felicity wound up dribbling some cider on her cleavage.

As someone handed them both napkins and Oliver began dabbing at his fiancée's chest, Laurel rolled her eyes, but covered by quickly downing her second glass. She then grabbed another and headed for the foyer, with no one any the wiser as all eyes were on Oliver and Felicity.

About half an hour later, Oliver and Sandra were heading upstairs to put Connor to bed together, while Felicity watched them from the bottom of the stairs, smiling.

"Sweet dreams, Connor," she told him. "Don't let the bedbugs bite."

Laurel, still in the foyer on her fourth glass, rolled her eyes once more.

Then, Felicity made to head back to the party, when she noticed Laurel standing there, holding up the wall under the stairs.

"Oh, hey, Laurel. Didn't see you there."

"Nobody ever does," Laurel retorted under her breath, pushing off the wall.

"What?"

"Nothing. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thanks."

Felicity tried to think of what else to say, when Laurel decided to add, "I just hope you have a damn good pre-nup, because when that bastard cheats on you, you'll want to make him pay. Dearly."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, what? You seriously think he's going to be faithful? Wake up, Felicity! I love Ollie as much as you do — "

"I very much doubt that."

" — but the man doesn't have a loyal bone in his entire body! He cheated on me _twice_ , and one of those times was with my sister. And look how that turned out. The other time... Well, all you have to do is look at Connor for the proof."

"I think that's enough, Laurel." Noticing the glass in Laurel's hand, Felicity asked, "How many of those have you had?"

"Not enough." As if in defiance, Laurel then took a sip in front of her.

Suddenly, Felicity's mother rounded the corner, exclaiming, "Oh, there you are, sweetheart! I was wondering where you'd gone."

Donna then looked back and forth between Felicity and Laurel, immediately sensing the tension between the two.

"What's going on?" the older woman asked.

"Nothing, Mom. Just get back to the party," Felicity replied, her eyes still fixed on Laurel.

Rather than obey, Donna again looked between the two females, trying to size up the situation. Finally, she decided that whatever was going on, her daughter could handle herself.

"Okay..." Donna turned to head back into the ballroom, only for Laurel's next words to stop her in her tracks.

"You know, speaking of Connor," Laurel was saying, "I'm sure glad I dodged that bullet. I mean, I couldn't even _fathom_ having to raise my cheating boyfriend's lovechild, or contend with that bitch Sandra for the rest of my life! And to think, you and Ollie have another one on the way."

Tipping her glass in Felicity's direction, she added, "Well, better you than me."

"Is there a problem here?" Moira asked, suddenly appearing at Felicity's other side.

"Mrs. Queen!" Laurel immediately looked caught, like she was trying to figure out how much Moira had overheard.

"You're right, Laurel," Felicity said, dangerously quiet, "better me than you because clearly, you're much too bitter to stand by Oliver's side and be his wife. Yes, he's made mistakes, but he's not the same person he was when he made them. He's grown into a kind, considerate man who would do anything to protect those he loves, the kind of man I would be proud to have as my husband and the father of my children. As for Connor and Sandra, I look forward to getting to know the both of them. Connor's a sweet little boy, and Sandra seems a lot nicer than you give her credit for."

At the end of Felicity's little speech, Moira crossed her arms smugly, while Donna stood with her hands on her hips as if to say, 'So, there!'

"Laurel, I think it's time you leave," came Oliver's voice from up on the middle landing. Next to him was Sandra, who was staring daggers at Laurel. "I'll have Mr. Diggle drive you home."

"Ollie, I — " Laurel looked from Oliver and Sandra to Felicity, Donna, and Moira, then back to Oliver. Her eyes were swimming with tears, though whether that was from genuine remorse or because she felt like she was being ganged-up on, neither Felicity nor anyone else in the room could say. "I— I'm sorry. I — I'm so sorry."

"You already said that," Oliver pointed out quietly.

Finally, Laurel ran out the front door, mascara-smudged tears streaming down her face.

TO BE CONTINUED...

**Author's Note:**

> I have a confession to make. A lot of inspiration for this story came from a story called **Jade** by an author going by **LoudVoice** over at FanFiction.net. Though, I couldn't help but make this into a bit of a homage to the _Smallville_ episode "Exposed"; in fact, I even debated upon whether or not to include a human trafficking storyline, but eventually decided against it.


End file.
